High Hopes for Hoops--Varsity Basketball Set to Tip-Off
By Ethan Hoffman--Sports Editor
The FCHS Boys Varsity Basketball team started their 2022-23 regular season this past Monday, and Head Coach Tom Hering has high hopes.
“I’m looking forward to the team," he said. "I think we are going to be more competitive- expect us to play hard.”
The Eagles hit a rough patch last season as they went 8-15, putting them 4th in the region.
“We had a young team, a lot of sophomores and juniors and very few seniors,” Hering stated.
Close games were the biggest fault of the team last year, going 4-7 in games with a 15-point differential, so the team has a chance to come back strong this season.
“We lost a bunch of close games," Hering admitted. "I’m hoping it’ll be the opposite this year, where we can win those. We have learned to overcome some of the things we were doing wrong."
The Eagles plan to be a fast-paced basketball team, according to Hering.
“We want to be an up-tempo team, we want to run, and we have a lot of good athletes and a deep team," he said. "The faster you play the more guys you get to play. We can wear teams down on the defensive side, by pressuring [them] a lot.”
FCHS opened its season Monday, November 28th vs Halifax County. The Eagles won 58-35, with Junior Kendal Mattox being the high-scorer with 10 points. Last season, The Eagles defeated Halifax County in the season opener 44-41.
The rest of the Eagles’ Regular Season schedule is as follows:
11/30- vs. Magna Vista
12/2- vs. Bassett
12/5- vs. Hidden Valley
12/7- vs. Magna Vista
12/9- vs. Patrick Henry
12/15- @ Bassett
12/20- @ Halifax County
12/28- vs. Thomas Dale
12/29- vs. Cosby
1/3- vs. E.C. Glass
1/5- @ Staunton River
1/10- vs. William Fleming
1/12- vs. Patrick Henry
1/13- @ William Byrd
1/17- vs. Lord Botetourt
1/20- vs. Northside
1/24- vs. Staunton River
1/27- @ William Fleming
2/3- @ Lord Botetourt
2/8- @ Northside