The first game in the playoffs is always a statement game for most basketball teams. This is a time players attempt to cement their names in their school’s history. For Revere senior Andrew Rinn, it is a time of high flying dunks and shooting deep range three pointers. Rinn finished with 21 points as Revere won 81-61. The Lawrence Tech University commit made a statement for him in this playoff game.

Rinn learned about the game of basketball in preschool. He credits his father for being the person who introduced him to the sport. Rinn was also a constant viewer of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He would always find himself watching two time NBA champion Kevin Durant, who was a big influence on Rinn’s game. Rinn trained more and more as he grew up, and would become a prominent piece in Revere’s weekly game plan, as well as a commit to Lawrence Tech University. Rinn talked about some of the most important things he has learned from the game of basketball that allowed him to receive his scholarship.

“I was very skinny growing up. I was pretty short, and I never grew that much. I was never skilled, but I kept working. [Basketball taught me that] working hard will get you to your final goal. I have been working hard at the gym and school, which has allowed me to get my scholarship,” Rinn said.

Rinn has been an impactful player in the Suburban League ever since his first varsity season. Revere Boys Basketball Head Coach Dean Rahas described the effort Rinn brings to the team.
“The grittiness and toughness he shows is something that is not on the stat sheet. He is a tough kid,” Rahas said.

Rinn has made his presence felt over the past four years. He has accumulated a total of 1046 points in his high school career. He also has numerous rebounds and assists. However, Rinn’s off-court personality created a positive mood for the team. Sophomore Jagraj Dhillon commented on how Rinn brought an energetic aura to practice everyday.

“The first thing I recognized about [Rinn] was his high energy. He always pushes everyone to be better, and he never pushes anyone down,” Dhillon said.

Today, Rinn is one of the seniors that underclassmen players look up to, but he also had his mentors as an underclassman. Over the past three years, Revere Boys Basketball has a total of 51 wins, two league championships, and two district runner-ups. Rinn praises those who came before him in helping him become the player he is today.

“I played with Pete Nance, who taught us how to be a great leader. Samson [Albert], Chris [Richardson] and those guys taught us how to work with teammates. Last season, we had Hunter [Drenth], Grant [Scherler], Julian [Kent], and [Andrew Cooke], which was one of the best groups I have played with. We had really good chemistry with them, so that is what we wanted to carry with us into this season,” Rinn said.

Revere basketball finished with a record of 11-11. Rinn mentioned one of the more memorable occurrences to happen this season. After a regular season loss against Padua High School, players sat down and witnessed an event that sparked a flame for the team.

“We lost the game because we could not close it. Coach Rahas came in and then broke a chair in the locker room. We went on to win six games in a row,” Rinn said.

Rahas had this to say about the events in the locker room after the loss to Padua during the regular season.

“[I] had to have a little heart to heart with our guys. I had to let them know it is not acceptable to not play to our potential. Good is not good enough, we need to be great,” Rahas said.

As Rinn says goodbye to Revere High School, he hopes he has left his indent on the school’s history. Dhillon talked about how much of a leader Rinn was and what he has learned from the soon-to-be Revere graduate.

“Some of the stuff I have learned from him this year is you should never get down on yourself. Even if you are not making shots, you should keep trying,” Dhillon said.

Rinn is committed to Lawrence Tech University to continue his academic and basketball career. As he is set to leave, Rinn has a final message for the Revere community.

“Thank you for all of the support for all these years. Thank you for showing up at our games, and I hope the community keeps showing out for our team,” Rinn said.