For the first time in two years, the varsity boys basketball team is heading back to the playoffs. The team finished district 9-5, tied for second place.

“Making playoffs this year is a big improvement because we didn’t make it last year,” junior Kyle Mitchell said. “And I’m happy to do it with the group of guys that we have this year.”

In the first round, the team won four of six games, losing to Westwood and McNeil, some of their toughest competition.

“Our strength as a team is that we have a lot of height and talent,” senior Will Cochran said. “And we’re really good when we play together.”

In the second round, they lost again to Westwood, but with the help of an electric crowd, they beat McNeil at home, who had been undefeated in district.

“It went great, everybody played together,” senior Curry Flowers said. “When everybody does their part we’re really unbeatable, we’re a good team.”

Senior Sam Paulsen led the team with 25 points and seven three-pointers. Curry Flowers added 23 and Kyle Mitchell had 13 points in the 88-73 win.

“I thought it was our most complete game, we had several guys step up on both ends of the court,” coach Shane Krause said.

Having a large support system in the crowd has helped the players’ mindsets, making them more determined to do well in playoffs.

“It gave us more energy and we were able to do better because there were so many people there, and we all wanted to play better in front of all of them,” Paulsen said.

The team wrapped up district with a losses to Stony Point and Hendrickson. The team will face Anderson at Round Rock in the first round of playoffs Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m.

“As long as we keep doing what we’re doing I think we’ll stay up top and I kind of expect is to. I think that the teams are reaching their high height and we are too,” Paulsen said. ”We can handle anything that comes our way.”