Jan. 27 marked the first home basketball game for our North Lake Blazers in their first round of conference.

The Blazers went 2-0 against Dallas College Richland Campus and Dallas College Eastfield Campus. The Blazers conquered Dallas College Mountain View, adding another win under their belt.

North Lake’s 6’1 guard, Bryson Smith has had a great season thus far. According to a post on Northlake’s Instagram posted on Jan. 22 Bryson Smith was recently awarded Dallas Conference Player of the Week. The post said, “Smith scored 30 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal in the First Win of Conference and First Conference game of the season.

Smith said, “It is an honor to compete as a DAC player especially being from Dallas,” Smith said. Being awarded for the hard work put into a game close to the heart is valued immensely by players like Smith, who were born and raised in Dallas.

Smith does not take his gift lightly as he spends many hours in the gym after class perfecting his shot and improving his skills. Being awarded for the hard work put into a game close to the heart is valued immensely by players, especially players like Smith, who were born and raised in the city of Dallas.

While the team started the first round of conference on the road, playing at home was beneficial for them, as most people would refer to it as having a “home court advantage.” “Playing at home is always nice and it just gives us an extra energy boost as a team,” Smith said.

At the start of the season Smith said he could better control the pace of the game. Smith shown improvement in this area in the Mountain View game as the team began to fall behind.

The Blazers came out hot in the first half but as the game went on a few mistakes and missed shots slowed the Blazers down. As the Mountain View Lions gained the lead, Smith reassured himself and his team to, “stick with it, try to defend better, and execute down the stretch then we would win the game.”

The Blazers returned in the second half with executed plays, allowing them to score, brought the game close at 42-49. By the 8-minute mark, the Blazers took the lead at 58-52, with Randy Woolf hitting two threes back-to-back. Smith then hit a pull-up 3, making the score 61-55. After properly executing plays, scoring layups, and knocking down three’s, the Blazers brought home a win against the Mountainview Lions of 76-67.

The Blazers conference schedule consists of competing against other Dallas Colleges such as Richland College, Eastfield College, and Mountain View College. Smith said, “what prepared me for the conference is our conference schedule. I feel like we have one of the best conference schedules in the country.”

Off the court Smith prepared by staying grounded, watching film, and staying mentally locked in. “I feel like I’ve been playing solid but I definitely can take it to another level,” Smith said.

Smith plans to “work hard everyday and stay true to myself,” to persevere through the season and accomplish the goals he has set.

The Blazers have an eleven game win streak and aspire to continue this streak as they go into the second round of conference.