Watch out, Rangers! The boys basketball team is back at it again with another intense, but promising season this year. Through all the hard work that the boys have put into practice, off season and pre-season, they are sure to make an impression on the court this year. With the help of the coaches and the determined mindset of the team, anything is possible for this group of athletes.

The basketball program consists of 4 teams, with freshman coached by Roberto Espinosa and the two junior varsity teams assisted by Coach Lindloff and Coach Whitaker. Farley coaches the varsity team, and they have been working tirelessly to improve their skills for the games against the 7 other schools in the district.

The boys are in the gym practicing on average about 2 ½ hours every day during season. When the season ends, the boys immediately start off season to prepare for the next year.

The Rangers are looking forward to the rest of the season with optimism and positivity to bring Clements some victories. The team’s mentality is already in the right place as they aim to meet goals they’ve set, such as making playoffs. They’re also looking to defeat their long-time rival, Dulles, who the boys are most excited to play. But, the past couple of months have been difficult with the team and program, as they have faced a few obstacles.

“[The season has] been okay. We’ve had a lot of troubles with injuries and other setbacks.” said Grant Gabosch, a senior and key player on varsity.

“We’re playing a lot of sophomores and freshmen on Varsity. It’s been a tough season because they’re so young. When you have 14, 15, 16 year old kids playing against 18 year olds, that’s pretty tough,” said head coach Ralph Farley.

Though the team has experienced many obstacles this season, they’ve had no problem overcoming these setbacks and motivating each other to play the best they can. In addition, Varsity has many advantages that help them stand out against their opponents.

Gabosch said, “Our teamwork and comradery.” 

What’s next for the program in the future? There seems to be a lot of potential in the underclassmen, as the program has strong, talented sophomores, which everyone is excited about. Because some freshmen and sophomores are playing on Varsity now, it will help build their confidence and experience for the seasons to come.

“We are young, good shooters, and fast.” said Gabosch.

Meanwhile, basketball games are played on Tuesdays and Fridays where students can support the boys in blue.