After having gotten a taste of what it feels like to be champions, the boys varsity basketball team is returning to the court this winter with the full intention of eating the entire championship meal.

“I think last year’s success gave the kids two things,” boys varsity basketball coach Luke Day said. “It gave them a little bit of confidence. I also think it gave them a little bit of hunger. I mean, we had that great run at the end of the year, and everyone was psyched up, and everyone was fired up, but we still got our butts kicked on that last night. It was ugly, so we still have some questions to answer, and I think the kids have a real lot of hunger to get back to that point and show that they can prove to be better, that they can get to that point and win.”

Last year’s loss in the playoffs at Marshfield High School was a devastating shock to the entire boy’s varsity basketball team. Although the boys were disappointed in not bringing home a championship trophy, the entire season set up a precedent of what the team as a whole was capable of in years to come, according to senior and returning varsity player Miles Morris.

Junior and returning varsity basketball player Tyler Patterson said the team is looking to improve their reputation from last season’s unfortunate ending.

“We’re going to be playing with a chip on our shoulders,” Patterson said. “We definitely have something to prove going back to last year. No one really expected us to do as well as we did last year, considering our record and regular season, so this year I think we have something to prove in what we can do during the regular season and how far we can make it into the playoffs.”

Patterson said that last year’s season did have some positives.

“Before last year we hadn’t made it to the playoffs in a while,” he said.

Coach Day touched upon Brookline’s past failures and successes.

“When I came in here, you know, Brookline had this great basketball history, but it had been a few years where maybe things weren’t going so great,” Day said.

The boys varsity basketball team is made up of skilled and talented young men, but beyond that, the boys possess chemistry and charisma on the court.

This blend of teammates is expected to give them the bounce that they need in order to get to the place they want to be, according to Patterson.

Morris said, “I think the chemistry between the guys on the team right now is great. We’re really working hard in the off season and it seems to be really good.”

Steven Bushey can be contacted at [email protected].