It’s 6:15, and while most of the Staples student body is struggling to get out of bed, the boys’ basketball team is already at school and in the gym preparing for their upcoming season.

”We lost some seniors, but we have three great leaders as captains and a few returning underclassmen,” basketball player Zach Feinstein ’15 said.

This year’s captains include Andrew Felman ’14, David Katz ’14, and Darryle Wiggins ’14.  “As a team we have one mindset, and that’s getting into the league playoffs,” Katz ’14 said.  And the team has been putting in the work they know it’s going to take to achieve their goal.

“It all starts in the off-season,” Freddy Hertan ’15 said.  The three captains have organized the team’s workouts that consist of early morning drills on Monday and Friday and running and lifting after school on Wednesdays.  “It’s obviously hard getting out of bed at 5:45, but we know it will pay off in the long run,” Felman ’14 said.

Even at 6:15, the team is working hard and doing a range of shooting drills to refine their skills.  The captains especially step up during these early mornings.  “We try and get everyone motivated and make sure everyone’s there and working hard,” Felman ’14 said.

Participation from all grades is what the team is looking for in order to be successful.

Underclassman Riley Petta ’16, believes that the practices, as early as they are, are really preparing the team for the season by keeping them in shape and helping them learn the plays.

“We’ve been working hard since the spring, and I think it’s going to make us a top competitor in the league,” Katz ’14 said.