Matthew “Moose” Lopez
Sports editor
This past season for Warhorse basketball was one to remember. The team performed great and the fans brought the energy to every home game. The city and its people truly felt unified every time they stepped into the gym. However, there was a backdrop to this season that laid behind the scenes, a story that many would say sounds straight out of a Disney channel original movie. Four brothers, Mason, Ray’sean, Christian and Jordan Beaver, were all on the Varsity squad this season. Moreover, Mason, Ray’sean and Christian started for Devine and played a strong role in setting the foundation that made the team successful.
Mason and Ray’sean are seniors and have made multiple all-district and all-academic teams. Ray’sean secured his second all-district selection in his last season for Devine. He is first on the all-time assist leader in the history for the basketball program at 652 and is the heart beat of the team.
In his last run as a Warhorse, Mason secured a spot on first team all-district (his second in a row), coaches all-region team and made 4A all-state team. He was voted offensive player of the year while averaging 24 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals and is first on the all time scoring list for Devine at 1,807. At the time of press, Mason was selected to two all-star teams along with his teammate Karson Ray: the San Antonio Sports all-star game and the STCA all-star game.
Christian, a junior, secured first team all-district for the first time in his high school career averaging 12 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 assist per game. Christian is also a multi-sport athlete as he is the starting second baseman for Devine High school.
The Beginning
It’s easy to look at the accolades on paper, but to truly appreciate the achievements these boys have garnered, you need to understand how the Beavers learned to be consistent and resilient.
The boy’s mother, Kayli Beaver, said they instilled the values of work ethic and routine at a very early age. Since the boys were three-years-old, their father Sean Beaver had them outside playing and training on various obstacle courses made at their home.
“They would come home from school and [Sean] would be like ‘You’re outside’,” Kayli said.
It wasn’t long until the boys would be outside on their own volition, they learned quickly that in order to achieve anything, you had to take an active role in your own success.
“They just always wanted to be out there and they always wanted to be out there together… even if they were trying to kill each other at times,” Kayli said. “We’d have to force them to come inside.”
Once the parents saw how motivated the boys were to get better, they did everything they could to support them, even going as far as starting their own youth basketball program for their sons as well as other kids.
Sean said teams used to blow them out the water, suffering multiple 30-point and 40-point losses. Although they were playing up, the Beaver boys never wavered and it was that sting of losing that motivated the brothers to keep improving.
“We took them to San Antonio, a group of fourth graders…seeing that next level of competition and knowing they wanted to be better and bring that level back to their school here in Devine,” Kayli said.
As much as going outside and working on their game became crucial, it was the rivalry between the brothers that pushed them to improve.
“One day, [Mason] would go running and I’d be like ‘Dang, why am I not running’,” Ray’sean said. “So I’m going to run farther than this dude.”
However they all have different reasons for wanting to strive for greatness. The drive to compete with his brothers hit Ray’sean at a deeper level. Mason and Christian are above 6 feet and their youngest brother Jordan, a freshman, is 6 ’2” and still growing while Ray’sean is 5’ 6”. Ray’sean knew he wouldn’t be the biggest or the strongest, so focused on doing the little things on the court to help him stand out in his own right, taking on the persona of the emotional and vocal leader of the Warhorses.
“For me it’s different because I’m tiny,” Ray’sean said. “I had to have a different character in me, so I just became a dog.”
Mason credited his father for continuing to push him because at one point, he didn’t even want to play basketball anymore. After he broke his ankle his freshman year, he felt the love for the game die down and didn’t want to pursue it any further. This was a turning point for the all-star, he feared his ankle would affect the way he played. When he was medically cleared to return, he was getting limited minutes, which frustrated him, causing him to question if basketball was even worth pursuing.
“[My dad] wouldn’t let me just quit and that’s what drove me,” Mason said. “No one wanted me to get injured. And I was like, ‘Why are y’all so worried about me? I can do this. Just let me play.’”
It wasn’t until his sophomore year that Mason really started to flourish. He understood his progression and elevation of his game came if he continued to stay patient and work diligently.
“I was progressing. I was able to shoot more. I was faster and stronger, my body developing even after the injury. So I was like, ‘Okay, I’m still good, so I’ll give it one more year.’ And I guess Coach Alegria really had an impact on me. [Alegria told Mason], ‘I see the talent in this sophomore group. So I’m going to stick it out with y’all. I’m going to let y’all play ball.’”
This was where his joy for the game truly came back. Mason recalled that no matter how well the team was performing, it felt good to simply be on the court and have an impact on the game.
Christian kept it short and simple. He grew up watching basketball, he loved the NBA, so he wants to be on the screen just like he saw his favorite players play on.
Jordan credited his older brothers for setting the high standard. Jordan said he saw his brothers be successful and “wants to be just like them.”
Anyone can be great for a moment, but it’s consistency that sets people apart. All the Beaver boys have incredible work ethic but that all started at home. As much as their father would push them physically, Ray’sean wanted it to be known that their mother was there to push them just as hard in every other aspect of life. Teaching them consistency was more than working out every day, it’s a lifestyle.
“Grades, coming home doing the dishes, coming home and sweeping every day,” Ray’Sean said. “That’s what helped us a lot really.”
Their mother would preach routine to them, imploring them to do three nice things a day. Giving them values of good men, not just basketball players.
Sean also gave praise to his wife for holding down the fort while he was away at the oil fields. As an educator, Kayli understood the structure that education provides and wanted to instill that into the boys early. Even limiting their screen time until their junior year of high school.
“From the very beginning, they had to read in the summertime…we’re going to the library, we’re doing all the book challenges,” Kayli said. “I have thresholds on their grade book, so I get alerts if they have missing work.”
She wanted to instill accountability and discipline in the boys so when they became adults they would have all the tools they needed in order to be successful young men.
This season
In their first year of all four playing together, the Warhorses had a terrific regular season that came down to an electrifying match-up against Pleasanton for the number one seed in district. Dominating Navarro in the first round of the UIL playoffs then going toe-to-toe with New Manor Tech, falling one point short of victory in the Area championship game. Devine and its people will not soon forget the run these boys made on the court. The Beavers being together wasn’t the sole reason for the team’s success but it was a motivating factor for them.
Ray’sean came into the season with the mindset of being “a better leader” because he wanted to set a good example for Christian and Jordan.
“I’m trying to lead [Christian] to be better and [Jordan] to be better because they still have years to go… I have to let them continue the journey I’m leaving for them,” Ray’sean said.
Mason said the best part about playing with his brothers was recognizing that their family dynamic spread through the entire team bringing them closer together.
“We built a family [within the team] over the years and then getting to incorporate our family into that was a good impact on the team and getting us all focused on the same goal,” Mason said. “When the seniors leave, they’re already ready because we built the foundation for them.”
Mason recalled that before this season began, he and Ray’sean wanted to make a conscious effort to unify the Warhorses on a deeper level so they’re on-court production and chemistry would yield higher results.
“We got everyone on the same page of togetherness during our summer leagues,” Mason said. “It was just good to go out there and play together and know that everyone trusted me to do good things with the ball.”
Quickly, their performances on the court made them stand out in Devine. The Beavers could see the overwhelming support the city had for them, which motivated them even more to go perform on the court. The Devine fans traveled so well, they made a lot of road games feel like they were playing back home.
“[People would] come up and talk to us, outside of school and outside of the court,” Mason said. “They’d come up to say how fun it is watching us and I guess, their support is what drove us to accomplish what we did this year.”
This extends beyond the court, the basketball team made sure to show support at every sport. Coming to the volleyball games and football games as a team, encouraged others to go show support for the other sports just as much as they did for basketball.
Next season
For Jordan, it was bittersweet because he didn’t get much on-court time with his older brothers but made sure to watch closely so he can bring a little piece of them with him as he continues his young basketball career.
“They just help me a lot and I need to prepare more for next year because I have a big role with these two leaving,” Jordan said. “It hurts to see them go.”
When asked how he will approach next season with a bigger role ahead of him, Jordan confidently said “basically, I have all of what they have.” Jordan was quickly met with scoffs and snorts from his brothers as they reminded him that he is “nowhere near” any of their abilities yet. Their brotherly love shines through every interaction.
When asked if he was the “shifty-est” of the four, his brothers erupted in laughter. “He’s the slowest out of all of us,” Mason retorted.
If someone puts you in the spotlight, it means they know you can shine. Christian and Jordan are ready to step up and fill the void that Mason and Ray’sean are leaving. Although they are eager to carve their own legacy, the remaining Warhorses understand the responsibility they have to not just to the basketball team, but the city of Devine as well.
“It feels like we have something to prove to all the people who come and support us,” Jordan said. “We have to bring the energy that [Mason and Ray’sean] brought.”
“I feel like it’s about trying to be a role model for the people still to come,” Christian added. “Making sure they keep the foundation once we leave.”
Ray’sean and Mason are graduating this year and when asked about the future, they both were as prepared as you can be. Ray’sean has three plans: the first is to continue playing basketball at the college level to study kinesiology, his second is to attend trade school to become a massage therapist, then his third plan is to work in the oil fields with his father.
Mason also has three plans. As of now, he will attend Tarleton State University to study Kinesiology then attend medical school to become an Orthopedic surgeon.
“An orthopedic surgeon had a big impact on my life so I want to be able to have an impact on other people’s lives,” Mason explained.
His second plan, if any school is interested, to continue playing basketball at the college level. Finally, his last plan is to work in the oil fields as well with his father.
Although they may be leaving, their impact on the city of Devine will always live on, not because of what they accomplished on the court but for what they achieved as a family.
Warhorse fans enjoyed watching brothers Ray’sean, Jordan, and Mason on the court, and youngest brother Christian (pictured below) and Jordan look forward to carrying on the family legacy. This team was fun to watch and Warhorse fans traveled so well it made a lot of road games feel like they were playing back home. Photo by Moose Lopez.
Warhorse Junior Christian Beaver is a multi-sport athlete. Not only is he a starting forward for the basketball team, he also plays second base for Devine’s baseball team as well! Photo by Moose Lopez.