The Northside Christian boys basketball team is approaching this season with high ambitions. The team wants to repeat as region champions and move past the first round of the SCISA playoffs for the first time in program history. 

“That’s a big thing for us this year,” head coach Peter Wilkerson said. “We have a standard that we hold ourselves to every single game regardless of the outcome. So, are we maintaining that standard of excellence throughout the season?”

The Crusaders return most of last year’s group, including all four of its all-region players, which featured region Player of the Year Dane Sundell. Sundell averaged 15 points per game for the Crusaders last season. 

The experience of the team has allowed for this season to begin more smoothly than in previous years. Practices are more productive and the group has been able to make the most of their time. 

“We are much crisper. We are much more engaged. We pick up things quicker because we’ve done it before,” Wilkerson said. “We’ve been able to kind of take some things that we had as building blocks last year and continue to build on those.”

This has allowed Wilkerson to add extra layers to his system. The team can handle playing a more complex scheme, opening the playbook. 

“We’ve been able to go and teach the third layer of our defense sooner than we were able to last year, which has been a big, big thing,” Wilkerson said. 

The Crusaders have looked impressive in the early stages of the campaign. The team entered this week with a 5-2 record and 134-point scoring differential. 

Four players are averaging double-figures for Northside this season. Sullie Crider is averaging a double-double, recording about 15 points and 10 rebounds every game. 

To be truly competitive at the end of the season, Wilkerson said the team needs to continue improving its physicality on the glass. 

“We’re a smaller team, so rebounding for us is always a thing,” Wilkerson said. “Defensively, we have got to fix some things up and then continue to establish our offensive identity and roles.”

If it does all come together, by the end of the season, Wilkerson said his group can be there competing with the best of the teams in its class.

“I think this team can be one of the best teams in SCISA 3A,” Wilkerson said. “If we can get those things done, interior defense and rebounding, and then if we can buy into the concept of being a team and playing team basketball, I think that’s very achievable.”