The boys basketball team started the season 1-2. This is not the start they had in mind but a key factor to their poor play was from a lack of conditioning. Many of the players play other sports in the fall, but basketball conditioning is a lot different than those other sports. There is a lot of running up and down the court, changing speeds from fast to controlled and all with minimal stoppages. It takes a lot of work to get back in shape for basketball. The first three games were a test of how well the team was conditioned.

The boys condition every practice, the most popular condition they use is are called suicides, which is sprinting from baseline to free throw line and back then to the half court line and back, and then the other free throw throw line on the opposite side of the gym and then back, and finally to a baseline to baseline and back. Suicides are one of the most commonly used conditioning methods for the boys and also one of the toughest.

Another conditioning method that are used often for the boys are 16 in 60’s; which are going from sideline to sideline 16 times in 60 seconds. This works on the boys agility and endurance. 16 in 60s are not the team’s favorite conditioning, but it helps them get in shape.

“Conditioning definitely helps the team because every time we run it builds up more strength so we are able to play strong throughout the game and be able to keep up with our competitors,” junior Andrew Hare said.