The Potosi boys basketball team had a great season last year. Mr. Uppena thought “we could’ve gone a step further, but we didn’t have it that last game.” There are a lot of expectations this season because last year, Potosi was the conference champion, regional champion, and made it to sectionals as well. Even though the seniors were a big part of making it to where they did, Mr. Uppena said “We have a bunch of guys back that played on that team.”
This summer the boys have been busy. They had four tournaments at UD, Potosi, Beaver Dam, and Winona, a summer league, and of course open gyms as well. “We played tough teams right away and got better as we went.” Mr. Uppena also said, “we won most of our games and two tournaments.” Not just the boys were busy; Mr Uppena also put in a lot of work. Every year he gets videos sent to him about different coaching techniques, drills, plays, and other things he can benefit from. There can also be rule changes; for example, this year the WIAA has implemented a flopping call, and he made sure to get that out to the guys.
With football and basketball being so close together, going to state in football can affect how you start the basketball season. Congratulations to the PC football team. However, this meant that basketball started a week later for Potosi. Other teams will have had two or three games in by the time Potosi plays them. Playing football can also help with how the team plays basketball. Out of the 18 players on the basketball team, 14 of them played together for football. That can really help with comradery and physicality.
“Being the returning conference champions two years in a row, teams will be gunning for ya. We will get everyone’s best games every time we play,” Coach Uppena said. Potosi will need to be ready to play. “No one is going to say ‘here you go Potosi, you can have it.’ We have earned that, and everyone has to be up for the challenge.” Hopefully, Potosi can do some great things this year and make it further than the last. Good luck Potosi basketball.