As winter sports teams continue their seasons, the boys’ freshman basketball team at De Soto High School claimed the 2021 Lansing Invitational Championship title in their final game on Saturday, Jan. 30.

The Wildcats went 3-0 overall in the tournament and claimed the title in their final game, beating Leavenworth with a score of 50-47. 

“It felt very good to win the championship. Being freshmen and having it be the first year we are all playing together it is a great accomplishment,” freshman Jack Millman said. 

In order to win the Lansing Invitational, the freshmen boys have had to overcome various hardships throughout their season.

“COVID has made some pretty big impacts on our preparation. A lot of us have missed practices and games due to COVID which is not what we need going into the heart of the season,” Millman said.  

 Freshman Bayler Bell additionally spoke on the virus’ impact. 

“COVID I’m sure has messed everyone up somehow, but we’ve had to follow the precautions just like everyone else. I’m truly proud of how we’ve gone around COVID and I’m really thankful we’re playing,” Bell said.. 

During this unprecedented time, the championship is a major accomplishment for the freshman boys’ basketball team. This has created more motivation for the team as they prepare for the back half of their season. 

“This win is very motivating considering we now have only lost one out of the 10 games. It put us in a great spot for the remainder of the season. We are very excited to keep winning and having fun,” Millman said. 

This was a huge win for the freshman boys’ basketball team, but their season has not ended quite yet. 

“We’re not done. We have a really good group of guys and I’m super excited for the future,” Bell said.