Northtown’s men’s basketball won only three games last year, but this year started out with four wins in the first five games. Right now the men’s basketball team sits at 7-15, which is a big improvement for the team and means that they are moving in the right direction.

“My first season was a new experience. It is cool to play with guys you’ve grown up with in a sense,” says senior Mitchell Thompson. This is his first year as a hornet after playing for Oak Park in his first 3 years of high school. “Compared to past teams Northtown is more liberated. We have more leniency in the way we do things and its new,” says Thompson.

Coach Marlin is currently in his first season as the men’s basketball coach and it can be difficult adjusting to a new coach.

“Changing coaches was the most difficult part, playing how they wanted me to play,” senior Paul Lienen said. Coach Marlin’s first season as the head coach is already a success after more than doubling the total wins from last season.

After a season where expectations were not met it can be hard for a new team to shape up and raise the standards.

“I will take away from this season many things. One of those things is understanding and facing adversity in its complete form,” Thompson said.

“When things get tough and you think there is no other option you have to just fight and eventually you will get what you earned,” senior Cole Gage said. The team has faced a lot of adversity and changes this season and has handled it well.

“I will miss mostly the time I get to spend with my boys,” says Gage “I am just gonna really miss the players,” Lienen said. The men’s basketball team is full of people who love to play basketball but also full of friends who will miss playing together.

Northtown’s men’s basketball team has shown that if a team wants to raise the bar and bring change it takes some hard work but it is possible. The program may not be going undefeated or winning state titles but it is moving in the right direction and it has to start somewhere.