Over Christmas break, the varsity boys basketball team competed against Canton at the Wagstaff Tournament. They won after being behind by 14 in the third quarter and gaining 23 points in the fourth quarter.

“The win against Canton was big because they beat us earlier in the season, so it showed that we are growing and improving as a team,” Christopher Grotemat, varsity boys basketball coach said.

The varsity girls basketball team competed in Hawkins at a three day tournament. They won 67-17 against White Oak on Dec. 28, with sophomore Marley Keith making three three-pointers in the game. They played Gladewater on Dec. 29 and won 55-47, with senior Brooke Everest deflecting the ball seven times. For the championship, they played Hawkins and won 58-52, with senior Brenley Philen rebounding the ball a total of 15 times.

“They play with grit and never quit and love doing it,” Daniel Devisscher, varsity girls basketball coach said. “I could say that the foundation that our team identity has grown out of came from defense. However, now at this point in the season our offensive attack and rhythm have both improved and we are now a well rounded team playing both sides of the ball very well.”

Both teams played against Chapel Hill Jan. 7 and won their games. The boys played at home and won 59-49, while the girls played at Chapel Hill and won 52-50.

“This season has been a lot of fun for us as a team,” junior Jillian Ortiz said. “Not only are we playing well together, we’ve been able to advance as players individually.”