As the hype and nervousness for Districts creeps into players’ minds, the intensity of competition steadily increases as high school basketball approaches its final stretch of the season. The Panthers represent a 7-9- record and have seen a full line change in terms of the coaching staff. These next few games will determine their fate in light of the approaching crisis, a losing season.

Struggling through the season, the Panthers lost their last three of five games. The coaching staff is doing their part to keep the team in a fighting position, according to senior guard Drew Boyd.

Recognizing that their start has been sour, Boyd believes head coach Randy Swoverland can pull them up in the standings, as he already has with team moral.

“The coach has helped us a lot because he has made us come together as a team,” said Boyd.

Swoverland pushes his players on all levels.

“On the court, it’s a hard relationship, but off of it, he is close with us,” said sophomore guard Kolby Canfield. “He is a good guy and really helps us out with our abilities and our confidence.”

The team was looking to turn things around with its win against Lakewood, the Panthers dominating 56 to a Lakewood score of 37.

“We were pretty deflated after our four-game losing streak, but now that we finally got the win in conference, we will start playing our best basketball,” sophomore guard Mason Gee- Montgomery said after their win against Maple Valley on Jan. 26.

For the Panthers to clutch the conference, they would have to win all of their next six conference games. Scott Cousineau, the athletic director for Leslie High School said, “All of the schools within the Greater Lansing Athletics Conference won a league title in the fall season with the exception of Perry. Our schools really match up numbers wise. It’s a nice mix.”

The win column may be low, but the hope of the Stockbridge basketball team is not dead.

“The league is very competitive. I don’t think anyone stands head and shoulders above anyone else. It’s a very good fit for Stockbridge,” Swoverland said.