GREAT FALLS — Following a 2-0 weekend with wins over Centerville and Hobson-Moore, the Belt boys basketball team is off to an undefeated start to the new season.
For a team that fell just short of an appearance in the Class C state tournament last winter, the Huskies (4-0) are using that as motivation to improve each day, as seniors Walker Maki and Declan Bergstrom can attest.
"We're working hard in practice, we go every day into practice and just grind, try and get better every day," Maki said following last Friday's win over Centerville. "Just get that 1% better, and that's what we it base on. Just working hard and staying determined."
"It's more of a fire," Bergstrom said. "Try to get back there and win some more games. But right now we've just got to take it one game at a time."
Maki and Bergstrom said Belt is known for its defense, and it's something it can rely on to lead to other positives on the court.
"Defense has always been our main point," Maki said. "We always work hard on defense and that's what we kind of strive for. If our offense isn't working, then we just fall back on our defense."
"We know our defense has to be good," Bergstrom said. "(Coach Kyle Paulson has) built a pretty good reputation on defense. Communication, we always have to keep talking to each other that we know where we're at, screens are coming. And just let our offense fall in to our hands."
Eight of the current 11 players on the roster are either juniors or seniors, but Belt did lose key pieces last season such as Reese Paulson — who currently plays at Montana Tech.
Maki said the team is still working on filling in new roles.
"We're still having to fill in some shoes because we had some really good seniors last year," Maki said. "We're trying to fill in those spots, but we're still just working to become a good team."
Bergstrom said it's all about belief in his teammates to fill in those roles.
"We trust each other, we know our shots, we know what we're going to hit," Bergstrom said. "There's a trust that we don't have to speak. We know what we're doing."
Belt looks to remain undefeated as it faces Great Falls Central on Jan. 3.
