By Kiara Doyal,The Seattle Medium
Garfield High School’s boys basketball team entered the season in uncharted territory, with just one returning varsity player and a new head coach at the helm. Senior guard Ohmono Bomet, affectionately referred to as “Mono” by coaches and teammates, now finds himself the lone bridge between last year’s squad, which placed third at the WIAA state 3A tournament, and a dramatically reshaped program following the sudden and unexplained dismissal of former head coach Brandon Roy.
“It was just something that I thought would never happen,” Bomet said. “I didn’t really have a feeling for it other than unbelievable.”
In the weeks after Roy’s departure, key players such as Isaiah Davis and Tripp Haywood transferred out, leaving Bomet as the only returning varsity player. The timing, just ahead of the season’s start, made the decision even more difficult for Bomet, who still chose to stay.
“I had several prep schools reach out to me after they heard the news, but after talking to my family I just decided to stay at Garfield,” said Bomet. “Ultimately because I feel like I have unfinished business at Garfield, I am a piece of Garfield, and I want to show people what I can do here.”
“I knew it was going to be a challenge with my teammates leaving, but I was up for the challenge. I have to be a leader, and I can’t take any time off,” Bomet continued.
“I am a piece of Garfield” is a sentiment that stood deep in the heart of Bomet while making his decision on whether to make the move to a prep school or not. For Bomet, being part of Garfield, a school with a rich history and deep basketball culture goes beyond wins and losses.
“It is a family. Garfield is a family. There is always going to be a standard that I have to meet, and I have to be locked in,” Bomet said. “And obviously with all of the players that have come out of Garfield, it means a lot [to play at Garfield].”
Garfield head coach Kabre Keller said that Bomet’s decision to stay and help lead the program through a period of transition was admirable and speaks directly to his character.
“The first thing I noticed was that he was willing to take an opportunity to lead and make something for himself,” said Keller. “I think Mono kind of already had this label as a player, but this opportunity to lead a team and show he can do more than just play defense is great.”
Keller believes Bomet has taken on a larger leadership role this year and admits that he, as a coach, has even been learning from him.
“He is setting the tone, even for me,” says Keller. “I have been learning a lot from him. Coming into this new role at Garfield, he has been showing us how to do it the Garfield way.”
“We have a lot of freshmen and returning JV players on varsity this year, so Mono pretty much has been setting the tone for us as a team, whether it’s athleticism or just playing varsity basketball,” added Keller.
Keller said Bomet has embraced the challenge of being the team’s only returning varsity player, setting an example on and off the court by embodying unity, one of the program’s core values.
“He knows it is a heavy load to carry, but he does a really good job with it,” said Keller. “He’s been trying to bring the younger ones who aren’t used to varsity-level basketball up to speed, and that has been the biggest thing I’ve noticed with him.”
“I’m getting emails and texts about the boys being in class, staying on top of their work, and being together all the time,” said Keller. “It’s things like that I expect, creating that brotherhood and leading beyond the court.”
With Garfield’s program in a rebuilding phase, Bomet said the senior season has been about finding a balance between personal growth and team development.
“I want to help the team and my teammates get better. I want them to succeed too,” said Bomet. “But I’d also like to improve throughout the season and just try to perform well.”
Keller echoed the sentiment, saying that while team sports play an important role, there are moments when young men have to learn to rely on themselves.
“Eventually, you’re going to have to rely on yourself, and that’s a trait I think Mono is starting to pick up, with his teammates gone and a brand-new coaching staff,” said Keller. “He’s learning that he can depend on himself and still get a lot done.”
Under Keller’s leadership, Bomet said he has been impressed with Keller’s approach to building the program and the confidence of his players.
“I was impressed with how ready he was to come coach,” said Bomet. “Those are big shoes to fill coming after B-Roy, and having to coach a team, but I felt that he was ready to do it and ready for whatever was next.”
“He has helped me a lot already with being a leader and helping my confidence,” Bomet continued. “He wants me to show that I am not one sided.”
Reflecting on his time as a Bulldog, Bomet said a few personal and team moments stand out most.
“Winning Metro Championships was something I was proud of us for,” said Bomet. “Out of all the teams in Metro, it was cool to say we were the city champs. That was a good memory.”
“Then personally, this year averaging 25 points per game has been good for me because a lot of people might not know I can score,” he added. “I was more of a defender, but now I’m in a different world.”
Aside from his talent, Keller said one thing that stands out about Bomet’s game is how he knows exactly when to step up.
“Everybody talks [a good game], but who is really going to do it?” says Keller. “Mono is one of those players, he is a silent assassin. He doesn’t talk a lot, but when it is game time he turns it on, and I really appreciate that killer mentality.”
After he graduates, Bomet sees the program moving in a positive direction and hopes that future players will continue to uphold Garfield’s sports culture.
“I do see Garfield coming back,” said Bomet. “For me, it’s really about the culture and the players. Hopefully people want to come to Garfield, and even those who already have ties to the school, I hope they want to help rebuild.”
“For this season, hopefully we end it strong. I think we can leave a good mark in this last stretch,” he concluded.
