The boys basketball team will play against Lewisville on Jan. 19 in the arena at 7:30 p.m.
This is the Hawks first game against Lewisville this season and both teams are currently tied for second in the district. Lewisville is currently ranked 12th in the state.
“I know Lewisville’s really good,” head basketball coach Eric Reil said. “They have three or four kids that [transferred] this past summer, so our expectation is [that they are] going to be a really good team who likes to pressure [and] shoot the ball really well. So, we have to do a really good job of getting up, down, keeping pace and stopping them from scoring. It’s going to be a fun game.”
The Hawks are currently 18-6 in the overall season and 5-1 in the districts. The Hawks hope to keep on succeeding, because for some, this is their last chance.
“This is my last year,” forward Isaiah Williams said. “We all have to give it our all, especially this year. Basketball means a lot to me [right now], so hopefully we can have success.”
In preparation for district games, the team has kept the same routine, including practices, ice baths and morning conditioning – which they call Breakfast Club. Reil said the students have been very motivated and want to do better than in previous years.
“We approach every game like we’re playing the number one ranked team,” Reil said. “That’s why we try to keep the same routine. We can’t have any players underestimating the other.”
The team went through a four game losing streak earlier this November, but then came back with a 14 game winning streak. However, the streak was lost against Plano East, 68-43 on Jan. 16.
“We have got to keep getting better and we know that we have tough opponents, so if we stay connected and stick together, we’ll be successful,” guard Cameron Mennsfield said. “In Waco, we were down by 10, but then we went on an 11-0 run and got back into the game. We realized that if we can do that to a really good team, we can do it to anyone we play.”
In the last 22-23 season, they played three games against Lewisville in total, with two losses and one win. Reil said he hopes that the student section will be filled.
“I want it to be an atmosphere where when we kick their tails, everyones excited,” Reil said. “I encourage everybody to come out, support the guys [and] make it a fun game to watch.”
