The boys basketball team was in need of some seniors after seven graduated following the 2016-17 season.

And then three seniors — Tyler Brown, Bryant Mocaby and Emilio Valentin — transferred to Derby.

“This year we have a lot more talent like the transfers and a couple guys from last year, too, so it’s pretty different from last year,” said senior Adrian Brown, the lone returning senior.

The Panthers (9-4) face the Maize Eagles (11-3) today at home.

The addition of the three senior transfers helped the team’s leadership.

“I would have been the only senior if they wouldn’t have come,” Brown said. “I’m not a big leader, I guess you could say that. And Emilio and Tyler are really good at that, so I feel pretty good about that,” Brown said.

Brown, Valentin and Bryant Mocaby offer more to the team in physicality as well.

“Tyler Brown, he can shoot. He has good defense and all that. Bryant can do pretty much everything. He’s pretty big for the position he plays, but he’s pretty good at all the stuff he does. Emilio, he’s our hype man. They’re all pretty good. I like them,” Brown said.

At the midseason tournament at McPherson, the Panthers started a new winning and are heading into the final three weeks of the regular season.

“We focused on getting closer as a team. We didn’t really have the wins we wanted to get, so we have focused on the team mostly and getting closer,” Brown said.