Nov. 12 marked the first day of practice for the Pleasant Valley’s boys basketball team. The Spartans are coming off a strong season from last year and they hope to have another good season this year.
The boys basketball team had a 19-3 record and were MAC champions in the 2017-18 season. Even though the Spartans lost five seniors last year, they return two starters from last year. Carter Duwa and Hunter Snyder are the returners and they will put the team on their back in hopes of making it another successful season.
Although the Spartans only have a couple practices under their belt, they put a lot of time in the off-season to be ready for the upcoming season. Snyder, a senior this year, stated, “We have a group of guys that work hard everyday. I believe that if we continue to work hard and play together we can be a top contender in the conference and even in the state, but it all starts in practice.”
The boys are known for their defense and their ability to control the pace of the game. They play a slower offense and it clearly works for the Spartans. This year they will battle for back-to-back MAC championships.
“I am feeling very confident about this season. We have a lot of capable players this year. I feel like the MAC is wide open so we have a great chance to contend for that top spot again. Everyone on our team will make a big impact on our success, but Hunter and I will have to help the younger guys on our team transition from sophomore to varsity pace,” Duwa said.
Duwa was the leading scorer last year and Snyder was the third leading scorer. The two players are the leaders of the team this year, but they will look to go deep into their bench in order to have a good season.
“I feel great about this season. I’m very excited to play one last season in a Spartan uniform,” Snyder explained. “I have been very lucky to get to play for great coaches all four years as a Spartan. Hopefully us seniors can go out with a bang.”
