Lennon McAfee took the court for Foxcroft Academy on Thursday night sporting a black eye — a parting gift from a collision in his team’s game the night before against Hermon High School.
But neither that shiner nor the fatigue of back-to-back games could slow the senior forward down.
That might be because McAfee has been dealing with much larger obstacles his whole life. And rather than impede his growth as a basketball player, they have helped forge him into a force to be reckoned with in Maine’s Class C North region.
While many high school players have a dominant hand that they use more than the other, McAfee has an arm that he can’t really use much at all. He suffered what’s known as a brachial plexus injury at birth, and despite several surgeries, has been left with about 15% usage in his right arm.
“I was past due, and what they had to do — instead of breaking the collarbone, they ripped on my shoulder and it caused me to have my shoulder come out of place,” he explained about those birth complications.
That means he has to do almost everything on the court with his left hand. For some, it might be a disadvantage. For McAfee, it’s fuel.
“I think I definitely feel like I have a chip on my shoulder,” McAfee said. “Obviously I know some of my limitations, but I’m not going to let that just stop what I feel like I’m able to do and able to contribute to the team.”
And boy does he contribute.
McAfee is averaging more 18 points while hauling down around six rebounds and adding roughly three steals per game for the Ponies, who he has helped lead to a 10-2 record so far this season.
“He really is the heart and soul of our team and of our program,” said Foxcroft coach Charles Beale. “The amount of time that he’s spent and how much passion and effort that he gives, it’s pretty remarkable.”
That passion and effort was evident right from the get-go on Thursday against Central High School of Corinth. McAfee set the tone early for the ponies by knocking down a couple of three-pointers, causing havoc on the defensive end and turning several turnovers into easy layups.
He had 10 points in that first quarter and a game-high 22 at the end of the night. And he didn’t even play in the fourth quarter as Foxcroft sailed to its 10th win of the season to stay unbeaten in Class C play up to that point. Its only two losses as of Friday were at the hands of Class B Hermon.
“In my opinion, Lennon is the most complete player in Class C in the state,” Beale said. “He rebounds it at a high rate. I think he’s leading Class C in steals. He’s shooting from beyond the arc at 50%. His field goal percentage is close to 60%.”
Beale said that McAfee’s condition doesn’t make it easy to play basketball, but while other young players might be deterred by the cards he has been dealt, McAfee has embraced the hard path in front of him with a relentless work ethic.
“He’s had this disability his whole life. He really can’t use his left arm for much more than like a support,” Beale explained. “He can’t dribble with it. He can’t, you know, lift it up. He can’t catch with it, so we can only pass it to him really 50% of his body. Most of the time he’s literally playing with one arm. It’s pretty amazing to see.”
What’s even more amazing doesn’t just succeed mostly with his left arm, he does so with opponents knowing that he favors his left.
Beale said he can’t help but laugh when he hears opponents and their fans thinking they can swarm McAfee on his left — something that is easier said than done, according to the coach.
“One of my favorite things when we play basketball is, people from the crowd and other coaches just say like, ‘Take away the left, he can only go left.’
Kyle Corrigan, the Caribou head coach, is all too familiar with what it’s like trying to prepare for McAfee as an opponent.
“I’ve been coaching against Lennon for four years now and to be honest, you cannot gameplan for him,” Corrigan said. “He has his injury that he’s been dealing with forever, and he’s truly one of the toughest players we’ve had to prep for. You can tell his defender not to let him go left, but he has so many counters and moves that he’s incorporated to really offset that.”
As remarkable as McAfee’s performance has been on the court, it’s even more astounding considering what he has experienced off it.
Beyond the physical challenges from his injury, the high school senior has also experienced tremendous loss.
His mother died when he was 12 years old, which McAfee said was caused by a drug-related heart condition. He was close to her, though he wasn’t living with her full-time.
“That’s a pretty big obstacle, and I try and use that to just fuel my motivation before the game — just think about how she’d feel watching me out there,” McAfee said. “I think that’s a pretty important thing to me.”
It’s hard not to watch McAfee fly around the court, making play after play, without a sense of awe. And there is little doubt where he gets his energy and edge.
“It’s tough to not be motivated by those things, and a lot of the players that I’m going against don’t know these things that I’ve been through,” McAfee said. “So I think that just gives me a mental edge immediately knowing that I’m out to try my absolute hardest. No matter what game and I’m just willing to take it as far as I can go.”
He’s already taken the Ponies to the upper echelon of Class C North, and he’s hoping he will be able to continue his basketball journey beyond high school.
“I’ll definitely be open to any opportunities that come to me,” he said. “I’m not fully decided on anything yet… That’s my goal, I want to be able to play college basketball at a pretty high level.”
His coach is confident that, with his work ethic, he is well-positioned for success.
“He’s a straight A student. He takes the hardest classes that the school has to offer,” Beale said. “He has done extremely well academically and he’s very gifted, and he puts the same amount of effort into schooling that he does on the court.”
But for now, McAfee is focused on going out there and doing everything he can do to help his team.
“Your absolute best is really the most you can ask for yourself,” McAfee said.
He takes pride in his hustle, and in the example he sets for his younger brother in the seventh grade. He hopes young players are able to find inspiration in what he is able to do on the court, and that it helps them get motivated to work hard.
Corrigan, the Caribou coach, has a similar hope. He would like to see McAfee’s story inspire others who may have challenges that they are trying to overcome.
“I have a ton of respect not only for how he plays the game, but how he conducts himself on the floor,” Corrigan said about McAfee. “He’s a genuine kid, and a true competitor.”
That much was obvious when McAfee stepped on the floor and dominated Thursday night on both sides of the court, black eye and all.
“That’s my message: If you want to get better at basketball, it’s just working hard no matter what the limitation is,” McAfee said. “Just work as hard as you can.”