A year after a surprise Final Four appearance, Falcon boys basketball is continuing to prove itself as a playoff team.

Although it had to become a team first.

After starting the season 1-5, the Falcons are now 15-6 after 13 consecutive wins, with their last loss being a 76-43 blowout to Liberty on Dec. 20. Falcon is also undefeated in league play (9-0) to take the CSML North title for the third time in four years. 

The Falcons’ turnaround came from a change in mindset that players needed to play for the team, not just for themselves.

“From that Liberty loss, they did self-reflection on what they can do for the team and not just their stats,” coach Donald Wood said. “Ever since the new year, they have understood that playing for each other is a huge help and makes the games go the way they should. We talk about ‘we before me,’ and they’re really starting to get that’s what it takes to be a really good team.”

Falcon lost six seniors after making the Final Four last season, including three of its four leading scorers. With only three returning members, the Falcons have had to overcome the challenge of rebuilding the chemistry that brought Falcon its first Final Four appearance. 

“The season started a little rough, but it’s a chemistry thing,” junior team captain Kamrin Lane said. “A lot of us hadn’t played with each other, so the season was about getting chemistry flowing and it took off from there. We know we are a good team when we play team basketball.” 

This is Lane’s first year on varsity after two years on junior varsity, although he earned some varsity experience as a sophomore, including last season’s Final Four game. Lane leads Falcon in points per game with 13.8, including 10 games above 16 points. 

“Last year’s team didn’t have as much talent as this year’s team, but they played for each other, and it was all about team,” Wood said. “I think they are starting to understand that’s why we made it so far last year; because they played for each other and played together. They are starting to adopt that culture and it’s starting to show.” 

To build that chemistry on and off the court has been trial and error, according to Wood. 

“I feel like they see when we have good games, it’s because the assists are up and everybody is looking for the extra pass,” Wood said. “I think they see it when it happens and are starting to finally put things together.”

The Falcon’s 65-63 win over Air Academy on Jan. 3 was a turning point for the team and the start of the 13-win streak. Falcon opened the first quarter with a 20-0 run, but held off a comeback by the Kadets. 

“During that game we had some adversity; they came back and it was tight, ” Wood said. “They understood they could fight through the adversity, and they played together and for each other, which ultimately put us on top over a top-10 team.” 

Since then, the Falcons have continued to play with more energy and a much different mindset than in the first three weeks of the season. While defense is a large part of the Falcons’ identity, playing selflessly has become a close second. 

“I thought our season was over because we all had bad attitudes and didn’t want to play,” senior Aiden Wood said. “It was not knowing how to play with each other yet. But three games in of our win streak, I felt we were a hard team to beat because of how good our chemistry was and is.” 

The win streak has been fun, but the team is more focused on continuing to build that chemistry with each other to make a deep playoff run. 

“We are more interested in playing in the (Denver) Coliseum and going as far as possible,” coach Wood said. “It takes everyone. No one kid can do it, no one coach, it’s a collective group with the community, the team, the parents. … It takes all of us to do what we are doing right now.”