This year’s basketball season has started off with a bang, with varsity winning the first game of the season against Timberland High School on Nov. 10.

“It doesn’t matter what odds are stacked against these boys,” head boys coach James Crafton said. “They work hard and work as a team and this group of boys has worked hard and came through strong.”

For the seniors, this will be their last ever year being on the court with their team. For many of the senior players, this is an emotional time and they hope to make this last season their best.

“I’m very upset this year is the last with my team,” senior Gunner Crow said. “I’m going to miss the student section and all my fans. I just want this year to be very special.”

Perseverance is what pushes the Hornet Hoopers to play their absolute best. Junior Britt Haas, for example, finds that being able to persevere as a team makes basketball so special for many of the players.

“We have lost a lot of good players this year, but I know my team is going to pull through,” Haas said. “I know we are going to face many challenges this year but if one thing this team has taught me is to persevere you know, we will find a way to overcome it.”

Basketball has been a staple in Hornet history and these boys plan to make a mark on Azle. They practice day and night and work as hard as they can to make sure they leave their legacy and people talk about them for years to come.

“This is a team game and we come together and create a family when we are on the court,” senior Kaleb Braswell said. “It doesn’t matter what odds are stacked against us we always push through and that’s the impact I know we will leave on hornet hoops for years to come.”