As the fall sports are coming to an end, the players of the winter sports are hard at work practicing and drilling intensely to prepare for the upcoming season.

“We play in the toughest conference in the state. We can’t accept where we were yesterday or the day before,” said boys basketball coach Adam Simmons.

On Sept. 10 the boys and girls teams started their basketball bootcamp that went through Sept. 21. It consisted mainly of condition and instilling the teams offensive and defensive philosophies.

“We’ve been working hard, doing our best going 100 percent every day,” said senior point guard Nelson McCoy. McCoy has been a member of the Wildcat basketball team (8-19 overall, 2-10 conference) during his high school tenure.

No major injuries have occurred so far this year that will affect the team’s performance. The team has a lot of talent and several returning seniors that look to be the leaders.

“I think we’re gona be pretty good this year. Just take it game by game,” said senior guard Ashley Gray. Gray, a leader on the 2011 Wildcats (20-10 overall, 7-6 conference) sat out most of her junior season due to knee injuries. “Not getting injured is my goal.”

For the boys team the toughest games of the season will be against Fayetteville and Bentonville. Both are stacked with talent and are always the top in the state. Rogers will be some of the toughest competition the girls teams will face.

“I think this will be a good year. We hve some good players and shoot the ball well,” said McCoy.

The benefit game was Nov. 6 at home against Tahlequah, Okla. The boys defeated Tahlequah 68-64, while the girls fell 60-52. The first official game will be at Farmington Nov. 20.