Pulling off what some may have deemed improbable, the boys’ basketball team, who previously had only one District 11-5A win to speak of, handed the Emerson Mavericks (4-1) their first loss in district play by a score of 56-51 Saturday. The Redhawks battled not only their opponents on the court but also the elements as a winter storm forced school closures and cancellations.

“After a tough loss against Memorial, the team responded well and overcame some obstacles to get the job done,” assistant coach Robert Wilson said. “The biggest thing we told them was to stay focused on the film aspect of the game. We missed two days of preparation so we just reiterated the importance of knowing the game plan and being able to execute the scouting report.”

For freshman Jayden Barr, maintaining a game-focused mindset is key to the team’s success.

“We just have to show up and keep fighting through everything as a squad,” Barr said. “Then, win or lose, we get back to work in practice because there’s always the next game.”