Commerce's Danny Salinas – Grand Lake Area Boys Basketball Player of the Month – Presented by Oklahoma Air National Guard

Grand Lake Area Boys Basketball Player of the Month – Presented by Oklahoma Air National Guard

Danny Salinas – Commerce, 45,130 votes

Chat Hayes – Grove, 33,052 votes

Cole Mikesell – Afton, 6,026 votes

Hunter Chandler – Ketchum, 3,331 votes

Brett Fuser – Afton, 1,319 votes

Other athletes receiving votes include Miles Monical – Ketchum, Tyler Madison – Jay, Conner Womack – Miami, Gage Jahnke – Vinita, and Keelan Davis – Kansas.

Danny Salinas – Commerce

Commerce High School junior Danny Salinas is a two-sport athlete for the Tigers, playing basketball and football. He has played basketball since he was in the first grade, when recess was just as important as being in the classroom.

“When I went to school I’d have recess and always went to play basketball outside and liked it,” Salinas said of what first got him hooked on the sport.

For a while Salinas played post, but during high school he changed to a guard position. Regardless of what sport he is playing, Salinas’ favorite thing about competing for the Commerce Tigers is getting to represent his hometown.

“I just like reppin’ my town with my teammates,” he said.

Salinas aims to be a leader and a good example for his teammates. He tries to be an encouraging voice on the court. He says one of the things that motivates him is, in his words, “seeing progress in my team and telling them to keep up the good work.”

Any athlete can tell you that after the playing a sport long enough, there are plenty of lessons to be learned. According to Salinas, the most important lesson the game of basketball has taught him is “respect.”

Salinas said that he looks up to “King James, 23” as a role model on and off the court. After high school Salinas hopes to continue his basketball career on the collegiate level as he pursues a degree.