With a score of 75-48, the Varsity boys won their first game of the playoffs against the Arlington Heights Yellowjackets.

“We played to our strengths and made good plays down the stretch,” shooting guard Marquiss Childs said. “We didn’t play down to the competition and played them just like we’ve played any other team.”

The men dominated the Yellowjackets throughout the whole game, outscoring them in every quarter but the last one.

“We made defensive stops over and over,” point guard CJ Smith said. “We opened up lanes for each other and opened the opportunity for easy layups.”

Varsity went 31-2 in the season, exceeding the expectations of Head Coach Duane Gregory and many supporters.

“I expected us to be a very strong ball club like we are year in and year out,” he said. “These guys have flourished sooner than I expected them to. In some of the preseason games we played there was tough competition; that was good for us to learn from those situations and come out with success in the regular season.”

With a new makeup to the Varsity roster, Childs said the key thing to build on for the team was chemistry.

“We grew since the beginning of the year with communication,” he said. “It made our relationships better as the season went on and I improved as a leader on and off the court, making my connection with the team a whole lot stronger.”

Gregory has faith that his team can get through the playoffs and ultimately win it all.

“We’ll have to be at the top of our game,” he said. “If we play like we’re capable of, this group has a good chance as anybody in the state to go all the way.”

The boys play tonight against Little Elm at Colleyville Heritage HS.