With 5 games left in district play the basketball boys are trying to achieve and succeed in their ultimate goal of getting a playoff berth. The Farmers are currently 14-11 overall, and 5-6 and tied for fifth in district 6-6A.

Head basketball coach Gary Collier said the team’s biggest strength is the depth and different skills of the players.

“We are able to match up very well with a lot of different teams,” Collier said. “Our depth gives us an advantage to play with any team on any given night.”

Collier said he has looked upon some of his returning seniors to hold a leadership role on the team.

“They’ve been here and we are looking forward for those guys to keep leading us through district and potentially playoffs,” Collier said.

Senior forward Caleb Loggins said that because the seniors are the oldest on the team they are expected to lead even more than they have in years past.

“Being the oldest, you have wisdom and experience that the younger kids don’t have,” Loggins said. “You are expected to teach [the younger players] with the coaches.”

Loggins added that even though team morale is decent, a win tomorrow could raise their spirits.

Senior forward and team’s leading scorer, Anthony Davis believes that having a good team chemistry is a crucial factor that will help the Farmers win the rest of their games.

“I feel good, but I feel like we have got a lot of things to work on,” Davis said. “We’re doing alright, but we can do better.”

Davis’s teammate, senior guard Marquis Williams said he believes their team needs to find their focus again to win.

“We just have to become a team,” Williams said. “Become better at working together, as a team, and winning games.”

Last Friday the Farmers snapped a three-game losing streak after a 58-55 overtime win at Allen. Williams led the Farmers to victory after his season high 28 point-showing.

“It felt good,” Williams said about his offensive performance. “After I scored a couple of times, it just became natural. Everything started to flow and I just did what I had to do.”

Williams received some help that game from senior teammates Sean Guillory with 9 points, and Anthony Davis with 5 points.

But the Farmers followed up that win with a tough home loss to Flower Mound on Tuesday, 51-46. The game left FMHS in sole possession of fourth place with a 6-5 district mark.

The Farmers seek redemption tomorrow night as they will match up on the road against Plano West for second time this year. Plano West is ranked first in the state in the latest poll from the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches. Last game against the Wolves resulted in a 76-50 loss.

West’s best player is senior forward, and Ohio State signee, Mickey Mitchell. Mitchell averages 9.8 points per game this season, as he has scored 169 thus far.

Collier said his advice to his players for the rest of season is to keep a level head.

“The biggest piece of advice is for [the boys] not be too hard on themselves,” Collier said. “We’re going to get some big wins, but we can’t allow that to let us stop working hard.”