[ot-caption title=”Lead by senior captain Chris Marzouca, the Pine Crest boys’ basketball team is ready to roll. (via Jessi Gross, sophomore)”][spacer height=”10px” id=”2″]

This year’s Panthers basketball season is looking to be a promising one.[spacer height=”10px” id=”2″]

The team recently had competitive tryouts and is in full throttle to prepare for their first game November 21^st. After several crucial starting players like Chandler Pollock were out due to injury last year, the team is ready to bounce back.[spacer height=”10px” id=”2″]

Brett and A.J. Haeffner, the 6’10 senior twins, are also back in a Panther uniform and ready to go all out for their last season.These two players will be key to Panther victories, as last year the tallest member of the team was 6’4. Along with these three, some key returning varsity players include Scottie Pippen Jr., Miles Polley, and senior captain Chris Marzouca. [spacer height=”10px” id=”2″]

I got a chance to speak one on one with Chris, and he is very excited for this season. Marzouca has had a huge impact on the team on and off the court since his freshmen year. He plays with composure and confidence while maintaining a humble attitude through it all, which has earned him four years as a varsity starter as well as two years as a team captain. [spacer height=”10px” id=”2″]

Many students may wonder whether this leader is going to continue playing basketball in college. Chris said, “I wish to play in college, but if I don’t, I won’t be extremely upset because I put academics over everything.” [spacer height=”10px” id=”2″]

He told me that since most of the younger guys have experience under their belt, he thinks that the team is going to surprise some people against their tough schedule. The road to a championship includes rival match-ups against University School and Saint Andrews. Already having played in some huge games, most notably an away game at North Broward as a freshman, Chris has flourished in hostile atmospheres, leading the team to a victory and adding to Chris’s surplus of memories in his basketball career. [spacer height=”10px” id=”2″]

Each member of the team hopes the hard work that they have been putting in since the end of last season will pay off. Personally, I look forward to going to games and cheering on the Panthers to many victories, and hopefully a district championship. The team encourages as many fans as possible to come to games because it really helps in the effort to win each game. Good luck to PC Basketball in its upcoming season. [spacer height=”10px” id=”2″]