Winter is upon us, which means Loy Norrix men’s varsity basketball is back. The team has entered the season with high energy and determination, focused on returning to districts and avenging last season’s loss.

The team finished 14-8 last season but lost the district finals to Lakeview, 87-67. This season, the team aims to improve its performance and secure first place.\

“Our team is very close this year, so it’s been fun,” said senior Sam Gagie. “We are definitely creating an atmosphere that everyone wants to be a part of.”

The new tone has fostered a strong bond between team members, creating a fun environment for everyone. The team hopes to bring home a district championship to Norrix to compensate for last year’s district loss.

“Our goal is to put up a banner on the wall and something in the trophy case at the end of the season,” said Gagie.

Gagie remembers last year’s loss to Lakeview and vows to win districts. So far this season, his goal has carried over into the whole team’s determination. In the midst of a game when the team is feeling overwhelmed, they feed off the energy of the fans.

“It helps to have a lot of people in the stands,” said junior Izeieh Ford. “We’re more focused during the game.”

A full crowd not only prevents the team from getting distracted, but their chants and cheers encourage the team to keep playing hard.

“The crowd can be loud and they help us on defense by chanting,” said senior captain Demari Lawler. “The energy the crowd brings is good. We rally off of it, just like they rally off of us.” 

With a strong motivation to win districts, the basketball team is confident that they will turn some heads, win games and be the proud holders of the district trophy by the end of the season.