Basketball season has finally returned and with it comes packed gyms, jaw-dropping dunks, and the potential to win the championship. 

Wilson Tigers have already gotten off to a great start to the season, rattling off six straight wins in their first games. Even though the pandemic set the team back, Coach David “Tee” Johnson believes that they are just as prepared as all the other teams in the league. 

“I don’t think this team has had less practice, I think if we talk about our league everyone is a fair man,” Johnson said. 

In terms of his goals for the team, Johnson expects a DCSAA playoff appearance and hopes to win the state championship. He also wants to continue to build the program in the right direction. He plans to have a big rotation this season to allow his players to grow and mature on the court. Wilson’s varsity team enters the season fairly inexperienced due to the cancellation of last year’s season, so spreading out playing time is a priority for Johnson. 

Johnson is also focused on helping upperclassmen on the team progress past the high school level. “We have three seniors, so I’m hoping that I can get the three of them off to a school whether that’s junior college, Division 1, Division 2, or Division 3,” Johnson said. 

One of those seniors is Darren Buchanan Jr., a D1 bound point forward with offers from schools such as George Washington, Pittsburgh, and Virginia Tech. Buchanan, along with fellow seniors Noah Richmond and Jeremiah Grissom, provide key leadership and experience for the team.   

The Tigers have shown to be on the right track with dominant double-digit victories over Fairfax Christian, St. Albans, and Banneker.

The most resistance Wilson has faced came in the first half against St. Albans. The game was tied, but during the second half the team implemented a full-court press, a technique which they had practiced. Despite the early success, the team still is focused on constantly improving. “I think our potential is out of the roof, but being focused in all quarters of the game is something we need to work on,” sophomore Lucas Sekaski said. Junior Ben Kobil echoed Sekaski’s sentiment that the team needed to improve their consistency. 

Both the coaches and the players agreed that this year’s team has a great bond with each other off the court, which is contributing to their success on the court.

“We appreciate the support of everyone that’s been coming out,” Johnson said. •