Bond Between Greenhill Teammates Feels Like Family

Shelby, Dort look to lift Hornets to SPC crown before heading to Vanderbilt

One is a sharpshooting guard, and the other an overpowering big man, but Noah Shelby and Lee Dort have more than just complementary skill sets.

The Greenhill seniors have the uncanny chemistry of two teammates who have shared the basketball court hundreds of times and the brotherhood of two teenagers from different backgrounds who live under the same roof.

Their partnership has the Hornets aiming for an SPC championship in February, after which the duo will head to Vanderbilt University in Nashville for a rare opportunity — to continue playing alongside one another at a major college program.

“I think it will be great for both of us because freshman year in college is such a huge step,” Shelby said. “We have good chemistry on the court and off the court.”

Shelby is a 6-foot-3 guard known for his shooting range and tenacious defense. Dort is a 6-foot-10 center who dunks frequently and dominates in the paint.

Dort grew up playing soccer in his native Haiti before coming to Texas four years ago. His legal guardian is Shelby’s father, Derrick, a prominent grassroots basketball coach who has specialized in helping students from the Caribbean country realize their potential.

“At first, it was hard being away from my family,” Dort said. “I just did what was best for my future.”

Dort and Noah Shelby began playing together on the summer circuit before eventually taking their partnership to Greenhill. During their sophomore year, they started talking about being teammates in college if the right opportunity came along.

We have good chemistry on the court and off the court.

Noah Shelby

“He knows my game, and I know his game. That makes things easier,” Dort said. “We’ve been playing together for a long time. We play video games together and pretty much do everything together.”

Earlier this season, Shelby scored 40 points in Greenhill’s win over public-school powerhouse Lancaster and later added 38 points during a game at the prestigious Tarkanian Classic tournament in Las Vegas.

The Hornets hope to earn their first title since 1999 at a highly competitive conference tournament that will include rivals such as Episcopal School of Dallas, St. Mark’s School of Texas, and Houston Christian.

“They’re high-character kids, and they work extremely hard. They live in the gym,” said Greenhill head coach Joey Sims. “They definitely make my job a lot easier. We want to run things through those two guys.”

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