The boys basketball team has been holding Green Day practices since the middle of the summer and have played in fall league games to be prepared for their opening game of the winter season against West Springfield on Nov. 30. So far, the Atoms have a 1-1 record in the fall league with a win against Alexandria City and a loss to Battlefield.

 “The Green days are really helpful to the team because aside from getting better at basketball, we are able to bond and build chemistry,” junior guard Davida Raharinaivo said.

 The Green Days are mainly for the players to tune up their skills and iron out any issues. The Atoms workout in the weight room on Mondays and Thursdays in order to build endurance and get in shape.

 Some of the exercises the workouts consist of include benching, lunges, and dips.

 “Green Days have been really productive. Our dedication to strengthening and conditioning has shown us steady progress,” coach James Bigsby said.

 Bigsby stepped up to help lead team practices and workouts after last year’s head coach, Deidrich Gilreath, parted ways with AHS.  Despite the disruption, the players have bonded well with each other and with their current coach. 

“[During workouts] we talk about how we can make history and joke around with each other,” senior guard Leoule Yared said. 

The varsity roster looks very strong this season, and all of the players have ambitious goals they want to achieve. “I expect us to make history and break the 27 year curse and win the district championship, while winning at least 18 games,” Yared said.

 Aside from pre-season conditioning, the team meets for practices in the gym on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, where they further improve on defensive rotations, practice their plays, and work on shooting and closing out on defense. 

“Before the start of our season, I would like our student athletes to implement all of our hard work into their individual talents as well as for our team,” Bigsby said.

 Aside from polishing their technical skills, the team needs to be able to acclimate to their new coaching personnel, as no permanent decision for the head coach position has been made yet. Team chemistry will prove to be a crucial aspect of the overall atmosphere and vibe of the squad as getting used to a new coach along with becoming familiar with teammates will be difficult.

 “So far our chemistry has been really strong,” Bigsby said. “Our dedication to prepare for a long season has been on full display. We can’t wait to see how all of the hard work pays off.”