The Lincoln Southwest boys basketball team is looking to improve after a 10-16 campaign last season. So far, the Hawks are 2-2. Their wins included a 72-66 victory over rival Lincoln Southeast, and a 77-71 victory in double overtime against Norfolk.

“The season has been good so far. We are coming back from some good practices, and are trying to get people healthy.” Senior Tanner Vercellino said. “We are glad that we got to start playing games and are just taking advantage of every day that we have together on the court. We are working hard every day to improve so we are playing our best basketball at the end of the year,”

The Hawks’ next game will be a big test for the team, as they will play a 5-0 Pius X team on the road.

“We’re banged up with injuries, but we have that next guy up mentality, and everyone comes to practice each and every day and works hard, and gets better,” Sophomore Rylan Smith said. “We know that on any given night, if we play like we know we can, and execute our game plan we have a shot against anyone.”

After that will be a rematch against Grand Island, who the Hawks most recently played and lost to.

“I think it always gives you an opportunity after playing a team to kind of look back at what worked vs what didn’t, and then make the adjustments you need to make,” Head Coach Alex Bahe said. “I think right now, though, the biggest thing we’re dealing with, is injuries. I mean with Ben Hunzeker and Rylan Smith, two starters out with injuries, that’s made us kind of have to recalibrate things. So I think the fact that we’ll be playing the game without them is a detriment to us certainly, but I think playing them a second time, I think we’ll be able to make some defensive adjustments that we hope will work.”

The Hawks will finish with the season with 5 home games and 10 away games.

The Southwest vs Pius X game will be on January 8, 2021 at Pius X.