The Tiger’s basketball team has seen real amounts of success this year. The boys and coaches said this season has been fun and full of memorable moments.

“We’ve got a lot of really good kids, kids who work hard in the gym. They are early to practice, late to leave and work really hard. They play well together, and they got a good experience. So you throw those things together, it gives you a chance to be competitive every night. And we have, for the most part,” head boys basketball Coach Blake Little said.

The boys on the team work hard to be able to compete and have a chance to win every game. The boys said there are a lot of things that have led to their success so far this season and their ability to win games.

“Moving the ball is our main key, but the real success is our game plan and our senior leadership. I feel like we’ve stepped up recently and took over the team and led the younger kids and kept good heads,” senior captain Gatlin Brody said. 

The boys said they know their strengths and what they need to do to win games. When it comes to game plan and preparations for their next opponent Little said it was important for the boys to know the plan and execute.

“When it comes to, you know, game prep and preparing for our opponents,we always try to make sure we have a game plan in place and our kids are ready to execute it.” Little said.

Execution as a team is a big part of the team’s success. Little also said that as the group has grown together they have grown into a real team to help them succeed and execute.

“I just like the way they get along. They’re a fun group of kids, I’ve had a few of them for three years on varsity, and just to see them grow together, and, you know, kind of go from a group of guys who played basketball together to a real team, it’s been fun,” Little said.

Little wasn’t the only one who said that working as a team is a big part of this successful season.

 “We’ve been playing like a family. We definitely have grown up these past years, and we’ve really shown what we have and the type of talent over here.” Senior Jaylen Lockhart said. 

The players and coach said the environment they create with this group of boys that have grown together makes it a great atmosphere to be in, but not only just a good game atmosphere but also at practice.

“I love practice. I know kids are the other way around. But we had a moment a couple weeks ago in practice where just the energy in the gym was so fun, and they were celebrating a kid that wasn’t a varsity kids, a JV kid who had dunked in practice, and the gym went nuts, and it was just one of those cool moments that was more about the team and more about the culture we’re trying to create than about any wins and losses.” Little said. 

Little said the boys celebrate each other and each other’s successes just as much as they celebrate a win. Lockhart said that a moment like celebrating one of his teammates is his favorite part of the season.

“My favorite moment is probably seeing my boy Cam get his first dunk in the game,” Lockhart said.

The boys and their coach said their team environment and the work they put in creates the chance for them to win games and be the best team they can be every night.

“I only worry about us being the best we can be, to put ourselves in a position to compete each night in conference games and really to compete for districts. I’m a big believer in that. You know your destination is what you deserve, and so wins along the way or losses along the way are all part of that process to be the best team you can be,” Little said.