The boys basketball team will play a district matchup at Marcus Jan. 17 at 7 p.m.
The Hawks are in a four-way tie for fourth place, and Marcus is tied with Braswell for second place. There is only one game that separates second place and fifth place in district standings.
“Going into that [Coppell] game, we [knew] it is going to be a dog fight,” head coach Eric Reil said. “I challenged the guys to respond to their toughness and fight back — to take that mentality and apply it to the game, and our kids kept fighting. They fought through adversity and they found a way to win, which is so important right now.”
The Hawks started their district season 0-2 after suffering losses to Guyer and Little Elm. Guard Ashton Toney said the team finally started to click heading into winter break.
“I feel like that winter break we came together as a team and became who we’re supposed to be,” Toney said. “We are sharing the ball as one, nobody’s being selfish — nobody’s bigger than the team. Everybody has the common goal: to get a win at the end of the night.”
Last season, the team went 1-1 against Marcus, winning the first matchup in double overtime and losing the second. This will be the first time the teams face each other this season, and guard Parker Bolden said he is looking forward to the game.
“It’s going to be a physical game with a lot of intensity on the court,” Bolden said. “It’s going to be a good fight. I keep reminding the guys that we have to stay focused and let the outside [noise] be outside [noise.]”
The Hawks are coming off of a 83-81 overtime win against Coppell Jan. 14, which propelled them to a 3-3 record in district play.
“Our motivation is to get to the playoffs,” Toney said. “I’ve been trying to keep a positive attitude. [My teammates and I] are going through it. It’s a long season, and people get stressed out, people get tired. I just keep reminding them [that,] ‘It’s going to pay off. Just keep working.’”
The game marks the halfway point of the team’s district season, as the Hawks are pushing to make the playoffs for the third-straight season.
“There’s a lot of games left to be played, and there’s a lot of room to move up and down,” Reil said. “This game is a big game, and if we win this, we’ll be in the hunt. I’m confident that our kids are going to go out every night and play their butts off. I have no doubt about that. We could not be happier with what we’re doing right now.”