The Varsity Boys’ Basketball team will play their first home game on Dec. 17 against Ritenour The coaches and players have been focusing on teamwork this year and are coming to the courts with a new motto: “We, not me.”

“Last year, I thought there were times when people worried about individual accomplishments rather than team accomplishments,” Head Varsity Coach Darrell Davis said. “Everything’s about the team, not about individuals.”

To prepare for the season, players went to workouts over the summer and fall and many attended a three-day team camp at the University of Central Missouri, which was run by the basketball staff there. According to Davis, the camp helped bring the team together. The team’s quote of the year, “It’s amazing how much you can accomplish when no one cares who gets the credit,” reflects their emphasis on teamwork this season.

“We need to work on team chemistry,” Varsity point guard Gabe Grote said. “We need to learn to play with each other and learn to bring the best out of each other. Last year, we were a little selfish on the ball, I’d say, and it doesn’t help to succeed on the floor if you can’t work with each other and use the best opportunities available.”

According to Davis and Assistant Coach Mark Wright, they are looking at the season as a process. Currently, the team has been focusing on drills to help them tackle one game at a time. Their goal is to be playing their best basketball by the end of the season.

“Overall, you want to focus on the game at hand,” Davis said. “You don’t want to look too far ahead and trip over something, so I just always look at our first game and watch them improve each game.”