Peyton Seals doesn’t want for much.

Just a basketball, a flat surface and a hoop.

“That sounds like it,” Seals said with a laugh.

The Ramapo junior wasn’t born with a basketball in his hand, but he likes to have one with him almost everywhere he goes.

The 17-year-old grew up in Midland Park but moved to Wyckoff in sixth grade. By then, his basketball jones was ingrained. Although neither of his parents played, his grandfather, Roger Miller, was a longtime high school coach in Illinois (Miller was recognized by the Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame) and Seals was always fascinated by the game.

“It’s just what I love to do,” Seals said. “You kind of forget about everything else and focus on competing. It’s freedom.”

Peyton Seals, Ramapo basketball

As a freshman, Seals stepped right into the Ramapo starting line-up and was part of a team that reached the Group 3 state finals, losing to Woodrow Wilson by a point.

At 6-foot-4, Seals is a combo guard. He’s capable of bringing the ball up the court (something he does for Ramapo) but also defending down in the low post. For his AAU team, the Shore Shots Rio, he plays more of a shooting guard.

After the loss to Wilson in the state finals, Seals embarked on his usual offseason routine. Find an open court. Shoot. Repeat.

He lists all the different places he can get off shots: Shooting Zone, Hoop City, in the summer he can go to Wyckoff Memorial Park and play pick-up games, and he also lives close by Eisenhower School.

Over the summer, he worked on developing his left hand… but not by choice. Seals was playing in a summer ball game at Bergen Catholic, reached his right hand in on a scramble for a loose ball and pulled it out broken.

“It’s not a great injury for a shooter,” Seals said. “When I got the cast off, it took some time to loosen up, but after a week or two, I was all the way back.”

Seals believes the Raiders are better than they were last winter, and that he has improved individually as well.

“Obviously, I think my left hand is a lot better, and I think I am coming off the ball better ready to catch and shoot,” Seals said. “I’ve tried to improve my game IQ-wise in terms of making the right play and the right reads. This year, as a junior and a captain, I am trying to be more of a leader than the past two years.”

Peyton played some lacrosse his freshman year before going all in on basketball. He’s hoping another good year will generate interest in colleges. He’s taken some informal visits, but nothing serious yet.

As long as they have an open gym, he’s probably going to be happy.

“I want to go to a good academic school, but also a place where I can contribute to the team and help them win,” Peyton said. “I have to find the best school where I can do that.”

Peyton Seals

Sport: Basketball

School: Ramapo

Class: Junior. Age: 17

Accomplishment: Seals was named Jingle Bells Jubilee MVP after leading the Green Raiders to wins over Gill St. Bernard and Immaculate Conception.