The boys’ junior varsity and varsity basketball tryouts have been scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. The team has two weeks from then until it takes on its first challenge in the annual Space Coast Preseason Classic.

“We have been working very hard in order to be ready for the season,” junior Zack Shahzad said. “Going into the season with a new head coach, we have high expectations of how we are going to perform this year.”

Some returning players have mixed emotions about tryouts being two days instead of one like last year.

“I feel like having two days of tryouts drags out the process and puts more stress on the kids,” junior Daniel Shelton said. “However it is necessary as we have a large number of players trying out who are at the same skill level and the coach has to choose who will be the best for the team.”

Shelton said having tryouts so close to preseason games adds even more pressure to the players who make the team.

“We will have less time to learn plays and sets and less time to build chemistry between players,” he said. “Nevertheless, I have full faith that Coach [Wardell] Collins will get the players ready in time to take on the other teams.”

The varsity team is scheduled to  play the Merritt Island Mustangs and Space Coast Vipers on Nov. 19 and 20.

By Madeleine Coalter