As the girls and boys basketball teams start their pre-seasons strong, fans are beginning to have faith once again.

The junior varsity boys team held an undefeated streak for the first three weeks, boosting the hopes of Eastsiders for the Panthers. This also marks the first season in a while that Eastside has had enough players to form a JV team in addition to varsity.

Continuing the good news, the boys varsity team has a current record of 8-1 in pre-season games. In the West Bay League, they are in first place according to Max Preps website, which tracks high school games.

Varsity player, sophomore Funbi Alamutu said players are excited about the season, especially because they have built a strong connection with one another.

“There is more chemistry with this team,” said Funbi, comparing to his experience last year.

The girls basketball team, although off to a rocky start due to not many players wanting to join the team, has earned a 4-3 record so far in the pre-season.

Freshman Vassidy Allen said that the season has been really fun so far and a learning experience for her. She said that high school basketball is exactly the opposite of what she expected, which was all boring and strict practices.

Sophomore Angelica Pa’aga agreed that the season has been good so far. She said the fans make all the difference.

“Hearing you guys yell and scream has a really big impact on us and pushes us to keep trying our best,” Angelica said.

The official basketball season for the girls starts agains Notre dame on Jan. 6, and for the boys against Pinewood on Jan. 10. Both are away games.