On Friday, Jan. 7, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School men’s basketball team played against King’s Academy, increasing their win streak to 10 games and giving them a 10-3 record. After they suffered a loss to both Western High School and Cooper City High School, the boys embarked on a win streak.

The win streak ended on Monday, Jan. 10, in a tough 10-point loss against Stranahan High School. The Eagles had a five-point lead at halftime, and were looking to finish the game strong to keep their streak alive.

However, though the game did not end in a win for the Eagles, they excelled at playing team defense and finding open teammates.

According to MaxPreps, the MSD team is ranked 184th in Florida and 45th in the State Division this school year. Their record has improved a lot since their 3-6 finish last year, where they finished 501th in Florida and 82th in the State Division.

The team’s success has come from everyone contributing and playing their parts. Their success mainly comes from the players trusting each other and pushing each other in games and in practice.

The team has great chemistry on and off the court with players mentioning that they are more than just teammates; they are more like brothers in a family.

“Our success is because we trust each other and play like we are a family,” center Wesley Aurelus (23) said.

Part of their success comes from their outstanding seniors. Throughout the season, Aurelus has contributed much to the team by playing tough defense, getting rebounds and giving his teammates more opportunities.

Senior shooting guard Brandon Gopaul (2) says his biggest contribution to the team is his shooting, which has helped the team win in games.

“Our plans to finish this season are to play hard each game and keep playing like a family,” Gopaul said. “After last season, we have something to prove this year.”

After a tough loss that ended their win streak, the Eagles are locked in and are planning to finish their season strong. They play their next game on Wednesday, Jan. 19, against Hallandale High School at 7:30 p.m.