On Monday Dec. 1, the Jesuit High School basketball team will begin their campaign, playing against St. Mary’s High School. Jesuit is hoping to start off their season with a victory to follow up on last year’s successful season.

“As of right now we are on the verge of creating great team chemistry, to complete our goal of winning the league,” said junior center Malik Duffy. The team has been working hard in establishing their roles on the team, and supporting each and every one of the players to perform at their very best. Another main aspect to the team’s success is playing well as a team.

“We have been practicing since the beginning of the new year, last year. We just finished try outs so we now know who we are going to work with this upcoming season. The most important part now is knowing how each individual player plays, and use everyone’s talents and incorporate it into the team. We will need to work hard in practice and listen to the Coach is directions,” said Malik.

The team knows how important it is to practice intensively, and work together to create something special on the team.

“Our major team goal is to win sections again, and in order to successfully do this we must practice hard and work well as a team. Coach [Greg] Harcos expects us to work hard and perform well every game, and if we can do this, then we are definitely on the track to success,” said junior point guard Cole Kelly. Cole’s message is that working and playing hard is a crucial component, if the team wants to be successful in winning Sections.

“The teams that will challenge us this year is Bishop Gorman [High School], Pleasant Grove [High School], and Sheldon [High School],” said Cole. The team wants to prove that they are capable of defeating these powerhouse high schools, after successful seasons last year from each school.

“A key player on our team that will help us become successful is [senior] Isaiah Bailey; he has the experience from last year, and he was also an All City Player last year,” said junior small forward Armoni Rivers.

“If we can beat the teams we need to beat, and bounce back from the defeats, we can definitely contend for sections. We will want to start this season off well, and in order to win our game against St. Mary’s, we will need to work as a team and play well,” said Armoni.

Jesuit will be hoping to win Sac Joaquin Sections, work hard, and play as a team. The Jesuit Varsity Basketball team is lined up for another successful season.