ROGERS (KFSM) - "I mean, people talk about it, but we’re just trying to take it one game at a time."
That’s the standard line from a Rogers Heritage team in the midst of a school record 13 game winning streak.
"For us, it’s not really the winning streak, it’s moving on to the next game," says senior Brandon Peek.
"Possession by possession, that’s what coach is always saying," adds senior and leading scorer Seth Stanley.
Press them a little, and they will admit the streak means something, to an extent.
'It’s exciting to know that we’re doing something for our school," says senior Ty Olsen. "We’re making people excited for basketball season, that’s kind of what we’re here for."
Stanley's elaboration is brief.
"It's very cool."
But the team gernally keeps the focus elsewhere. They're playing for something more."
"If winning a conference championship means losing a few games here or there, that’s more than enough for us," says Olsen. "We’re willing to lose that streak if it means winning a conference championship."
The season is a culmination of sorts for the five senior starters.
"Me, Ty, Bryce and Dawson played together in sixth grade, seventh grade, ninth grade eleventh grade twelfth grade," reminisces Stanley, the years starting to run togeter at the end of his sentence.
Peek started off as part of the group but moved. Yet, the bond remained.
"It’s awesome, I actually moved here two years ago from Bentonville, just to come back and play with my brothers."
It’s a connection that can explain a lot of their success on the court, particularly in a system that stresses ball movement, spreading the floor, and selflessness.
"It’s kind of cool because they’re really brothers in the locker room, cause there’s a lot of kidding and gabbing at each other, lots of laughing and they make fun of each other, "says head coach Tom Olsen. "But when they get out on the floor, their as tight a unit as I've ever had or ever coached."
Ty, the third and last of Tom's sons to play for the coach, elaborates.
"We’re almost the same mind at this point.I know what kind of guys they are and I know what kind of people they are, so I can pass them the ball and know that I trust them to know to do what’s right with the ball and help us win. It’s really awesome getting to play with your best friends and not just your teammates."
The Heritage seniors hope to go out with a flourish, one winning streak at a time. They'll look to extend this streak to 14 Friday night at home against Van Buren.