Both the boys and girls basketball teams are making big changes to prepare for competition this year.

"We are being more prepared by starting early with morning practices," said senior point guard Xavier Cross.

The Lady Jays are also catching the early worm. "We’ve started mandatory open gym practices on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays," said Kenja Bryant, senior point guard for the Lady Jays.

In addition to early practices, both teams are adding a read and react offense system. "We are using a basic offense that creates a lot of options," said Cross.

However, the main difference between the two Blue Jay teams is the number of returning players.

"Last year’s team was short and fast, but this year, we have three centers and a bigger presence in the paint," Bryant said. "We lost a lot of seniors last year, and there are many spots to fill this year. We also have a new assistant coach Robert Brown this year, " she notes.

By contrast, on the boys team, "A majority of our team is returning this year, so we’ll have good chemistry," said Cross.

Tryouts for the boys are Nov. 15 – 17. The boys’ first game is scheduled for Dec 8 vs. Mt. Clemens High School.

Tryouts for the Lady Jays are Nov. 8 - 10, and their first game is Nov 30 against Ferndale High School.