Both of Northwest’s varsity basketball teams have found success on the court this season because of their team depth. So far, the boys’ team is 6-4, and the girls’ team is 9-1. 

   Currently, the girls are sitting at the top of the Interstate Eight (I-8) conference with a conference record of 5-0. Last Tuesday night, the team came away with a critical 50-46 victory over the Coldwater Cardinals to put themselves at number one in the conference. 

   The girls’ only loss of the season came in their first game against the Haslett Vikings. Since then, the girls have won eight straight games with important victories against conference rivals Western (61-39) and Lumen Christi (59-32). 

   These girls will not be content with their current record. They are too competitive and will fight to the end. The skill the girls have shown this season has proved to other teams, in and out of the I-8, that they are here to win.  

   This team attacks opponents with depth, and this strength will give them the upper hand against their future opponents. When a team thinks they have our best scorer locked down, another player always steps up and takes advantage of their defense.

   As for the boys’ team, they are also in first for the I-8 conference. Last week they were given their first conference loss of the season against Coldwater, but they bounced back with a 65-39 victory against Hastings.

   Although the starting senior lineup leads the team, they have also had significant success off the bench. The boys have proven that even when the starting five is not on the court, they can compete with anyone on the opposing team. 

   This team knows how to compete. They have shown that they can bounce back from losses and keep their goals in mind. The team has not yet had a losing streak of two games in a row, and they have proved their perseverance with bounce-back wins after each of their season losses.

   This season has been an improvement for both teams. The boys finished last season with a 10-12 record, and the girls finished 15-7. With the way both teams have played this season, they should be able to finish with an improved season record.

   Both teams are looking to stay at the top of the I-8 for the rest of the season, and with the resilience they have, they should be able to do just that.