Boys’ basketball hopes for strong start to the season this Wednesday

Senior+Jalen+Harris+drives+the+ball+in+line+against+a+Desoto+defender+in+a+previous+season.+%28Photo+by+Olivia+Davila%29

Senior Jalen Harris drives the ball in line against a Desoto defender in a previous season. (Photo by Olivia Davila)

The Panthers will kick off their season November 11 with a game against Newman Smith. This will be some of the first looks at what this Duncanville team has in store for us this season. Hopefully, playoff contention is the place they’re headed to.

This season the Panthers are matched up with a very competitive district on the hardwood. Teams like Desoto will continue to impress but an upcoming Cedar Hill team will pose a threat to take over the district. Duncanville’s team will have a lot on their plate every week.

Duncanville has a good team of our own as well. Though lacking some size (like other teams in our district), expect the young guns to constantly run the court, be quick on their feet and find holes in opposing defenses. Look for the team to take high percentage shots as well since the team doesn’t have any towering big men to grab a bunch of rebounds. If shots are not falling for Duncanville, expect for them to try and score points in bunches on the fast break. Defensively, Duncanville will be sharp. A lot of ball pressuring and steals, using quick hands will ignite their offense.

After losing star guard Matt McQuaid to graduation, shooting guard Jalen Harris looks to step up and fill the scoring role nicely. He will have help from upcoming juniors, this year being their first on varsity. The upcoming season is going to be an entertaining one. The team has a lot of new players and they look to stay relevant in a packed district. I feel they have what it takes but they must stay consistent. Slumps shooting the ball or playing weak defense will have opposing teams taking advantage of their opportunities to build quick leads.