Cobra boys basketball

    The Industrial Cobra basketball boys team is looking to find new heights this year, and with returning senior and four-year varsity member Brandon Alexander as last year's District Most Valuable Player, they are sure to do big things.
    Head Coach Rusty Roe said the Cobras have a solid group of players that haven't played football this season, so the team has been conditioning and working out since September, but have been practicing daily since the end of October.
    "We played Bay City in a scrimmage and it helped us work on things we can work on in practice," he said. "Especially with their size and quickness. It took us a little bit to get used to their type of play, but after we did there were some really good things."
    In addition to Alexander, other seniors are Jay Sandoval, Trevor Ressman and Bubba Garcia. Roe said Sandoval and Ressman have been on varsity on and off since their sophomore years and Garcia was on his Junior Varsity team last year and ready to go this year at the post position. Junior Kyle Alexander, and Brandon's brother, is the only other returning letterman and starter from last year. Kyle earned First Team All-District honors in last year's season.
    He will also have four additional juniors from last year's JV team, a team that won District last year. "Guards Tyler Warzecha and Tyler Rogers, point guard Brandon Janis and center Mason Maraggia will move up to varsity to provide competition for starting position and help in key back-up roles," Roe said. "Sophomore Logan Gabrysch will provide depth at point guard and do-it-all freshman Dylan Guzman is versatile and very well-rounded for a freshman. He will compete for a lot of playing time this year."
    The Cobra team lately has been working on their system and fundamentals, like defense and shooting. Roe said when they get that under their belt the team and him will start working on game planning for their opponents.
    "We would like to compete for a District championship and move past the first round in the playoffs. If we can stay healthy, get lucky and peak at the right time, we have a chance," Roe said. "We take all teams seriously, and not one team is more important than the other. We can lost to anyone at any time, we just need to be prepared that night for that team and not look ahead."
    The Cobras started their season on Nov. 23 against Danbury. A big game the team and Roe wants fans to know about is playing the Schulenburg Shorthorns in the AT&T Center in San Antonio on Nov. 25 at 1:00 p.m.
    "I think basketball teaches you how to move onto the next play and not worry about what has happened in the past. You get down about a call or a mistake and that can affect you for the next two or three minutes, and in basketball that's where games are won and lost," Roe said. "You're going to have bad days, but you can't let that become a bad week."
    Brandon Alexander said the team have been working exetremely hard in order to succeed this season. “We all have some different roles this year and are coming along really well,” he said. “Our tournament will have some tough competition this year, and of course when district rolls around every game will be important for us.”