The boy’s basketball team is going into sub-state, which started on Feb. 26, with a record of 10-10 since their first game on Dec. 1.

Junior Dez Hinson has been playing as a guard since he was a freshman and has been playing for varsity for two years. This season, Hinson had a different role to play on the team.

“I have to be a leader instead of being the young guy looking up to the seniors,” Hinson said.

Brandon Piercall is a junior and plays forward in his first year on varsity. 

 “This team is really fun, I think we have a lot of chemistry that has built up because there’ve been some tough games, but those are the games we’ve built our friendships,” Piercall said. 

They’ve had some challenges in the past season that they’ve overcome by working it out in practice.

“We’ve had too many turnovers and allowed too many offensive plays,” Piercall said.

Hinson believes that the players need to play more together as a team.

“Even though we’ve known each other for a long time, the guys we have never really played together because we only have two returners,” Hinson said.

In order to prepare for the sub-state the team uses a strategy called scouting.

Scouting is when they watch the other plays of the other teams on film.

“We scouted the other team [Mill Valley], locked in on some of the plays that they are running, and [are] trying to perfect our plays, so we can get it right against their defense because they are a good team,” Piercall said. 

The practice routine changed in order to prepare for the playoffs which made for an “intense” atmosphere. 

“Practices are a lot more intense, and you got to be a lot more focused,” Hinson said.“if you lose you’re out, [and] your season is done and we don’t want our season to be over yet.”

Practice around playoff time entails more of watching films to give the team a better look at their competition. 

“Practice starts at 3:15, so we get 15 minutes to shoot right before practice, then we go down into the basement and watch whoever we are playing,” Hinson said. 

According to Piercall, blocking Mill Valley’s defense will be a challenge, but he believes that the team will secure a victory. 

“Stopping their guards and preventing turnovers, [is probably going to be the hardest]” Piercall said. “I think we are going to win [and] it’s exciting,”