This year, in the James Ball Gym, commonly known as The Pit, things are getting a little more bouncy.
   The boys basketball team is off to a fresh start this season with the addition of a new coach, Armando Johnson, and a strong freshman class.                    
   Although the basketball season started off with a loss, the coach and the team are looking forward to a lot of improvement as the basketball team adjusts to the new players and working with Johnson.
   Coach Johnson, who considers himself a “man to man” coach, likes dealing with the higher caliber and diverse students at Central.
   “I feel that at Central, students are better mental athletes and have a parity in talent. We have a great freshmen class this year with a lot of opportunity to grow,” said Johnson.
   Aside from an uplifting new coach, the team has several new freshmen on varsity that have made a big difference.
    Though losing seniors to graduation every year is a setback, the incoming freshmen have stepped up their game to try and take their places. Many of these freshmen have high hopes for Centrals future.
   “I think coach Johnson is a good coach because of how he tries to get everything in order to change the way people think of us. I see our season going better because this is the first year for some of us with new changes and teammates,” freshman basketball player D’Angelo Bedell said.
  Despite the desire to become even better, most players agree that the team usually works great together and tries their best to cooperate with each other.  Many players also appreciate the support from the fans during the game and consider it one of the most beneficial factors that affect a team’s mental stability. Other students at Central may not think it is a big deal, but for Johnson, it makes a big difference.
   “I come from coaching a small town high school and not winning was not very well supported. Coming to Central this year, there’s support everywhere if we lose or win, and it really does make us feel better, especially when we lose,” said Johnson.
   No matter what the sport, teams always have room for improvement. Luckily Central boys basketball has a lot of great players up to the task. The rest of the season will give them the opportunity to show what they are made of, and hopefully bring it all together for districts.