By Jordan France and Noah Jimison
Last year marked a historic chapter of William Peace Basketball, as it was the best season in the team’s history. Having an impressive 18-9 record, the Pacer’s season reached the top by getting to the conference championship.
However, they were met by rival North Carolina Wesleyan, resulting in a hard-fought game that ended with a 61-80 score, leaving the Pacers just shy of winning.
“That game was one of the most emotional games of my life. We Fought hard but came up short in the end. I believe we can make it back, we just need to work hard and not take this game for granted,” said sophomore Shawn Jones.
Motivated by this setback, the team started a new mission, labeling the upcoming season as “The revenge tour.” Fueled to avenge their previous loss last season, the Pacers look to bounce back this upcoming season, not only to reach but to win the championship.
William Peace University basketball season kicked off Oct. 31, when the men faced Elon University. Next on Nov. 8, the men traveled to play Virginia Wesleyan. It was not a great outing as the Pacers lost with a score of 92-48.
Although the Pacers took a tough loss to Virginia Wesleyan, it was a learning experience for the team facing such adversity early in the season.
“We came out with little energy and were not prepared to play,” said junior Micheal Dulin. “We see this loss as a positive as it will wake us up and take us to a new level of readiness and always being ready to play no matter the opponent.”
After the Virginia Wesleyan game, the William Peace basketball team had a couple practices that were hard and competitive. These practices were not just about conditioning but also focused on teamwork, communication, and finding a way to win in adversity.
“These practices after a loss like that are most important to get the guys focused on the main thing moving forward. You can’t win every game but you can win with effort and heart. That is what we emphasize,” said assistant coach Zachary Hinton.
The men took their first victory on Nov. 11, at their home opening against Warren Wilson, winning 115-73, showing a complete turnaround from their previous game.
The win was not only shown in the scoreboard but also in the team’s performance on the court. Every player had an opportunity to play in the game and it was exciting to see.
The atmosphere during the home opener was electric. Pacer Fans filled the stands with excitement rallying behind the team. After someone hit a three the crowd would go wild, there was even a putback dunk that made the gym go insane.
The collective energy in the arena matched the team’s new confidence giving the team something to stand on for the rest of the season.
“The game was super fun and exciting to watch. I was screaming at the top of my lungs,” said sophomore Grayson Scott.
As the William Peace basketball team currently sits at a record of 3-3. The lessons learned from all their games will shape how they continue their season.
The early setbacks were a start for growth, showing resilience and determination with the team. Now they can set out on that “Revenge Tour”.
Contributors: Caleb Clendenning