With December coming around, it is the beginning for winter sports. Basketball has recently started for both boys and girls. Some of the boys had a late start to basketball due to the football state championship. 

The boys basketball team had a big addition due to the underclassmen, with 12 freshmen and seven sophomores. Dec. 1, the boys had their first game at Medicine Lodge, losing 44-52. 

The boys had a rough start to the season, with three losses to Medicine Lodge, Kingman, and Great Bend, but got wins against Caldwell Dec. 12 and Inman Dec. 15. They said they have been working on different skills to get better.

“[We’ve been] getting better at shooting and being able to keep our intensity up while we’re tired,” senior Nash Johnsen said.

The boys who played football during the fall season said there were issues transitioning into basketball. 

“At first it was a little challenging because we were a little rusty, and just going into a new sport,” freshman Lucas Pauly said.

The girls basketball also started Dec. 1, losing to Medicine Lodge 47-51. However, they had wins against Kingman and Caldwell, then lost to Berean Academy.

“The games are going pretty well,” junior Ava Daniel said. ”We did lose to Medicine Lodge, but we kept working hard till the end.” 

The girls said they have been working hard on different types of techniques at practice to be better for upcoming games.

“[We need to work on] communication because it helps the team work together and know what’s going on around us,” Daniel said.