SAN ANTONIO - – The first half of the 2018-19 season has been an enjoyable ride for head coach Kyle Smith and the Warren Warriors basketball team.
"The players want to win, and when you've got kids that really want to win and they buy in, it makes my job very enjoyable," Smith said.
With a 14-2 start overall and 4-0 district record - good enough for the top spot in District 28-6A - the Warriors have had no problem winning games this season. But it's how they're winning games is what's impressive. In a Dec. 12 win over John Jay, four Warriors scored in double figures.
"We have a lot different weapons that we can bring. We don't just do one thing well. If someone is having an off game, we have a bunch of guys that can pick up the slack," said junior forward Jayden Campos.
The Warriors don't have one single player that dominates a game, but instead, several quality playmakers that mesh well together.
"We found that if we just play really hard and play good defense and take high quality shots the majority of the time, we're going to have a chance to win some games," Smith said.
Sharing the rock and taking care of the little things, like free throws. As a team, Warren is shooting a shade under 80 percent and averaging 14 points per game from the charity stripe - a stat that could be the difference between winning and losing in a tough 10-team district.
"You have to respect everyone in this district because everyone is well coached and capable of beating you," Smith said.