HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — As we get closer and closer to the high school basketball season tipping off, Huntsville City Schools hosted a media day for all the boys and girls hoops teams to preview the season ahead.

One of the many teams who took the podium at media day on Tuesday was the Huntsville High boys team.

The Panthers have been knocking on the door of the final four the past few seasons, but they haven’t been able to get past the regional final just yet. Head coach Christian Schweers says this year’s team is once again focused on trying to make it to Birmingham, but he also makes it a point to remind his team that they’re not defined by any one win or loss.

“That adversity we tasted, that experience we had in that locker room after the game, if we choose to use that and fuel us to get better then it will take us to a place we otherwise could never go this year. So, I really believe that when we get over the hump so to speak and we do things our program has never done that we’ll be able to look back on the losing and that would’ve been a key component in that.”

Huntsville’s crosstown rivals from Grissom are also busy gearing up for the upcoming season.

The Tigers lost some serious star power from last year’s team, but head coach Jack Doss says that you shouldn’t underestimate the guys on this year’s roster. Doss says they’re working harder than he’s ever seen before and he thinks that hard work will translate to results on the court.

“What other people expect is that we lost two D1s and a JUCO player and they expect us to be bad, but I’ve got good news for them… we’re going to be real competitive this year. I’m excited about this team,” Doss said. “This is the hardest my team has ever worked; they’re putting in more hours than I’ve ever put in. We always want to be competitive and losing that type of talent these guys have stepped up and they’ve gone from averaging four points a game to becoming a D1 player. That just warms my day and lights my heart up that we can help these young men reach their potential.”

The high school basketball season starts as early as Saturday, November 4 for some of our local teams.