With eyes on success in their upcoming season, the boys’ varsity basketball team aims to make many improvements in the weeks leading up to their first conference games.

Coach Todd Seymour has hopes for the varsity basketball team to rapidly improve this year compared to their last, where the team finished second from bottom in the NAC-VI at fifth place with overall and conference records of 9-15 and 2-8, respectively.

“Right now we’re working on workouts and just playing hard,” Seymour said.  “Last year we had a couple letdowns as far as our effort is concerned. I think if we play hard this year and do the little things well, I think we’ll be alright.”

Seymour places emphasis not only on the tactical part of the game, but cohesion between the players as well.

“I feel like we had really bad team chemistry at the beginning of the year last year, and we had some guys that just didn’t get along for whatever reason,” Seymour said. “I think that got better progressively as the season went on, and we’ve had, you know, this summer and continuing to the fall these guys have kind of gelled together, and I think we’re going to have some success with it.”

There are specific players Seymour has in mind who can play a big role this season.

“Zanje Lee was on varsity last year. We really need him to step his game up and be more of a scorer than kind of a roleplayer like he was last year,” Seymour said. “We need some big things out of him this year.”

For any Cougar athletic team, performing against cross-town rivals is always prioritized.

“We’re coming for Heritage this year,” senior De’Von Grant said. “They got us two years in a row but we’re working out everyday and grinding, so they’re about to take the L.”

Seymour has similar beliefs on conference opposition.

“Heritage was by far the best team last year, but they lost two really good division one players. So, I think the conference is up for grabs. I think everybody can beat everybody so we have to be ready to play every night,” Seymour said.

According to Seymour, the Cougars have much potential to perform this season.

“We have a lot to build on,” Seymour said. “The big thing is just keeping the chemistry right and keeping everybody together, and we’re going to have some success.”