As the whistle blew in the waning minutes of the men’s basketball team's (9-18, 3-11 Ivy) season-finale against Penn (16-11, 12-2) this past Friday, a chorus of cheers filled the Pizzitola Sports Center. The echoing ovation, defiant in the face of an 82-61 defeat, commemorated the final moment of the illustrious career of Landon Lewis ’26.
A standout forward throughout his years in the men’s basketball program, Lewis captained the squad this season. The senior left no doubt as to his prolific ability, achieving the feat of a 30-point performance twice in this year alone and leading the Bears in the number of points scored per game by over seven.
On the last day of his undergraduate playing career, The Herald followed Lewis to understand his pregame habits and athletic journey at Brown.
Lewis’s game day routine is “built around the team’s schedule,” he told The Herald in an interview the following day. But he always makes time for his own habits.
“If I did a certain routine and played a good game, I would just replicate it,” Lewis said. “I kind of built my routine around that.”
To Lewis, the most important part of preparation takes place during mealtime. On Friday, he began his routine with an hour-long breakfast at the Sharpe Refectory, prioritizing protein and “barely” touching carbohydrates.
Next, the Los Angeles native returned to his dorm to watch the HBO hit show “Industry.” As “thinking about the game all day is mentally exhausting,” watching television intentionally serves as a distraction, Lewis explained.
Lewis emphasized the importance of spending time alone throughout the basketball season.
“If I’m eating with someone else, or I’m out, hanging out — I can’t be super outgoing,” he said. “When I’m just (going to) class, practice, Ratty, back to my room, and I complete that every day, I feel more locked in.”
But overcoming his solitary nature has been an important step in his journey as a captain and leader, Lewis added. He said that he’s become more outspoken to his teammates in an effort to guide the team to success.
Departing from his dorm early Friday afternoon, Lewis made the walk to the Salomon Center for an exam in CPSY 0220: “Making Decisions.” On the days when he must balance pressing academic and athletic obligations, Lewis has built a dependable internal framework.
“I have to use my mental health skills to not think about the game and only think about the midterm,” he said. “And then as soon as the midterm is over, it’s a switch back ... it’s tough, but it’s a habit now.”
After completing his exam, Lewis hustled over to the Pizzitola Sports Center for a walkthrough. As the team practiced their plays for the contest ahead, Lewis shouted callouts and commands to his teammates.
“Naturally, I lead by example,” the captain said. “I like to be on my P’s and Q’s and make sure I’m doing what I need to do before I try to get on anybody else.”
With the end of their preparation, the players headed off the court for a team meal. During these collective moments, Lewis said he seeks to balance leading his teammates and remaining in his “own essence.”
Lewis eats dinner with teammates before the game.
After a half-hour nap, Lewis emerged from the locker room, clad in a fresh white-and-brown jersey to begin warmups. Utterly focused during a precise shooting regimen, the star smiled with satisfaction when the basketball went through the hoop and grimaced in frustration following near misses.
Head Coach Mike Martin ’04 stressed the importance of Lewis’ perfectionism. “He’s just so hard on himself, and that’s why he’s good,” Martin told The Herald in a press conference following Friday’s match. “He doesn’t accept a lower standard for himself.”
Before the game began, the stadium’s attention was fixed on half court for a Senior Day ceremony, which hosted Lewis and forward Drew Kania ’26. Accompanied by his family, Lewis strolled to the painted Brown “B” for a moment of acknowledgement from the Bruno faithful.
Lewis and his family on the court for Senior Day.
Reflecting on his family’s presence, Lewis said, “I couldn’t have done it without them.” He highlighted his father’s impact, calling his dad “super pivotal” to his basketball career.
Once the opening whistle blew, Lewis immediately demonstrated the poise and tenacity of a four-year program cornerstone. Cutting a commanding figure on the court, the 6-foot-8-inch, 230-pound floor general pushed through contact to score the contest’s very first points.
“When people think of me, they think of physicality and bullying guys; being a good finisher; relying on my athleticism,” Lewis remarked on his playstyle. “I hope that’s how they remember me.”
But a resolute double-double from Lewis was not enough to overcome turnover-riddled play by the Bears. Though Brown pulled within five points of Penn at moments throughout the match, the outcome had long been decided by the final minutes.
So when the buzzer sounded with two minutes remaining and Lewis checked out of the contest, the home crowd knew he had walked off the floor for the last time. Rising in celebration of Brown’s distinguished captain, the arena showered Lewis with applause.
Shaking Malone’s hand and bumping the fists of assistant coaches, Lewis made his way down the bench and took a seat. As the final seconds ticked off the game clock, Lewis embraced his teammates and, together, they watched the time expire on his collegiate basketball career.
“I was just feeling a whole ton of gratitude,” Lewis said. “At the bottom of all of our hearts we want what’s best for each other.”
Sajiv Mehta is a senior staff writer covering sports. He is from Scarsdale, New York and plans on concentrating in English and American Studies. In his free time, he can be found reading an encyclopedic novel or watching the Yankees.
