The PV boys’ basketball team has one thing on its mind: the postseason sub-state playoff games. The team plays Cedar Rapids Washington at home for their first postseason game on Monday, Feb. 23.
Pleasant Valley has a conference record of 8-10, while the Cedar Rapids Washington Warriors have a conference record of 4-10. PV is coming off a conference win over the Davenport Assumption Knights, after previously losing to them earlier this season.
The team has a high morale heading into their game. “We are watching a lot of film on the other teams to get our minds prepared for what we are going up against,” said senior Gavin Kettmann. The challenge of playing non-conference games is the unfamiliarity with the opposing teams and their styles of play.
To combat this challenge, the coaches are doing everything they can to get ready for the postseason. “We have a lot of teams in our bracket that we don’t know much about, starting with our first opponent,” said Ahlgren. “As coaches, we are going to have to put in the time to figure out some things to help the guys be prepared. I am very excited about our opportunity. I believe in this group to make a run.”
The team is entering the postseason with a confident and positive mindset. “We have the mentality that we are going to state. We can’t think anything differently,” said Kettmann. Kettmann’s confidence reflects the team’s high expectations for themselves. The players have embraced this mentality and are using it as motivation heading into their game against Cedar Rapids Washington.
Varsity assistant coach Brett Ahlgren echoes the team’s focus going into the postseason. “The focus has been on finishing the season strong. We would like to get some good momentum going into the postseason,” said Ahlgren. The team gained its momentum after an impressive win over Assumption, winning by 22 points.
As the team prepares for their game, they have high hopes and are heavily preparing to set themselves up for success. If the Spartans beat the Warriors, they will advance to play Dubuque Senior on Feb. 27.
