WAYNE, Neb. -- With graduating five seniors from last year’s team, Wayne boys’ basketball coach Rob Sweetland has had to adjust for this season.

“With what we lost, looking at this year’s team, I felt like in the summer, this team likes to push the ball and they have a little bit better of skill set as far as moving the ball,” Sweetland said.

With the Blue Devils graduating Sedjro Agoumba, Alex Phelps, Daniel Judd, and Carter Junck last year, the lack of size will see the team playing a “small-ball” line-up.

Sweetland said his players have welcomed the change in style of play.

“I want to stick with it with these guys and I think they want to stick with it,” Sweetland said. "Maybe wear some teams down that are bigger and more physical than we are."

Senior Devin Anderson said the players who were seniors when he was playing his first three years have led him to try and become a better leader for the underclassman.

“It gave me a great idea of what I should look to be on the court this year for the younger players,” Anderson said.

Junior Gavin Redden said with the up-tempo style of offense and defense, the team has gone through major conditioning.

“We’ve been playing a lot of defense, running down back the court, and pressing,” Redden said. "It takes a lot out of you…stopping...turning back around…it’s a lot of effort. Legs get tired. You start talking less but people have to step up and be loud."

Junior Colson Nelsen said reaching the district final last year is a motivator not just for the team but for himself as a leader.

“They paved the path for us and it didn’t end the way we wanted it to last year,” Nelsen said. "Obviously, you want to do better than we did last year. They showed us what a leader is like and we kind of want to follow in their footsteps and be a leader."

Wayne opens the season with back-to-back games against Battle Creek on Friday and Ponca on Saturday.

News Channel Nebraska will be broadcasting girls and boys double-header at Ponca with coverage beginning at 5:05 Saturday night.