Post Messenger Recorder -

What makes any team great is their collective spirit and determination, and that's what coaches in Belleville see in both their high school boys and girls basketball players this season. Belleville boys basketball coach TJ Zweifel underscores his team has shown what it takes to have a successful season, "So far, we are embracing the toughness and grit that it will take to accomplish all of our goals. The boys are working with the long-term approach of being as good as we can come March and the playoffs."

Coach Zweifel is pleased with the progress his boys basketball team has made so far this year, from the first time they met on the court through the most recent games they've played. The team continues to work on refining the small points of their game as they prepare for the second half of their season, but overall they are pleased. Their schedule has been brutal.

"Nobody signs up to play at Darlington, Mineral Point, and Cuba City all in a row, as well as challenge themselves against a top team regardless of division with Catholic Memorial," says Zweifel.

Taking it in stride, players have rallied in tough times and accepted lessons learned to soak in the great moments the season has brought so far – like winning at Darlington, or overcoming a 19-point deficit to pull off a momentous win against Lake Mills.

For the Belleville girls basketball season, the team is learning who they are again after graduating six esteemed senior players last year – five of whom were starters. Coach Eric Liegel acknowledges this is the challenge for his girls basketball team this season, "That inexperience has shown at times. We've had some good games, but also have had a couple games where I know we wished we would have played a little better."

With that said, the team really wants to step up and do well for one another. Though Liegel's players are relatively young when it comes to big time varsity experience, they are enjoying getting the chance to step into the shoes of the players they graduated last season and continue to do the work to make themselves better players and a stronger team. Liegel is truly happy with their effort.

"As a coach, I am really proud of how the girls continue to come to work every day and want to do better. They're not afraid of the challenges and continue to have a positive attitude toward what we are trying to do to make ourselves better," he said.

Both the boys and girls basketball coaches are learning alongside their players this season to make their teams competitive at every turn. For Coach Zweifel he uses practice as a time to emphasize communication between players, whether they are playing offensively or defensively. Schooling players to talk on the floor can be a huge advantage for the fluidity of the players on the court so they can achieve that "slam dunk" moment. Talking effectively during practice results in points scored when it's game time.

"Our practice culture and intensity is fun to watch when we are going full throttle," says Zweifel.

For the girls basketball team, it also comes down to learning to play solid defense and execute offensively. If they do it right, they can take on anyone.

Liegel says, "As I tell them, we are trying to get a little better each day and want to make sure that we are playing our best basketball at the end of the season. We're going to have some growing pains along the way like any young team, but I am really proud of how they really try to learn from those mistakes and prepare so when we find ourselves in those situations again, we are better."

This winter, as both the boys and girls teams face the second half of their competitive seasons, their coaches see opportunities for growth and making stronger players with whom to compete – not just this season, but next year and beyond. It is the fight they see in their players that excites them for the future.

Photo courtesy of Empire Photography

Belleville Wildcats Varsity Girls Basketball Team Front Row (L-R): Mikayla Caskey, Toria DeVoe, Bailey McGuire, Addison Edge, Demyla Conner, Ava Benash. Middle Row (L-R): Hayden Caskey (Manager), Lucy Grady (Asst. Coach), Jon Benash (Asst. Coach), Eric Liegel (Head Coach), Pam Kelly (Asst. Coach), Bryn Prochaska (Manager). Back Row (L-R): Lainey Winkers, Cora Funseth, Kailey Prochaska, Maddi DeSmet, Ellie Doyle. Not Pictured: Emma Holden and Alice Elliott.

"We excel at what works for us, without worrying about the things we do not have. I have learned that there is no quit and a fearless mentality in these boys," says Coach Zweifel.

While the Belleville boys basketball team are expecting to win a regional championship and a chance to get to Madison – lofty goals they are not shy about; players know they have to meet those goals with spirit, determination, and honest work.

For the Wildcats girls team, it is no different, "There are obviously things that we know we need to do better at, but I am hopeful that if we continue to put in the work, good things will start to happen for this group," Liegel confidently acknowledges.

In the end, the chance to play basketball at this level offers high school players an incredible opportunity to entertain lessons on and off the court that make for strong teams going forward. As they dribble down the floor and into the second half of their seasons, both the Belleville boys and girls High School basketball teams are ready to meet the challenge and continue to learn from their coaches, opponents, and peers what it means to play the game!