MARYSVILLE — Marysville Getchell boys varsity basketball has arrived.

Now head coach Corby Schuh’s mission is to prepare his players for the Wesco 3A league’s top competition.

“It hurts to play defense, but the reward is so nice,” Schuh said as his troops hustled baseline-to-baseline across the court in stout defensive stances.

Schuh looks to his three seniors to lead the team. Spencer Winters, Schuh said, is a quick, athletic forward who can rebound and play tough defense. Guard Spencer Winters is a role-player who can muscle up to rebound and defend. Guard Josh Thompson keeps the offense running from the perimeter.

Four Charger football players, including junior guard Cullen Zackuse, sophomore guards Kaleb and Zander Seymer and sophomore guard Jordan Russell-Robinson, bring their multi-dimensional skills to enhance the team’s abilities.

Seven Getchell players played on last year’s C team, a developmental squad that MG’s emerging basketball program had in place of a varsity team. Many kids played in the Amateur Athletic Union as middle schoolers, Schuh said, before deciding to go to Marysville Getchell instead of Marysville-Pilchuck. The team played B-level Lummi and Tulalip Heritage teams, but now is the time that they step up to higher competition.

Many players on Getchell’s varsity team are relatively new to high school basketball, but they’re excited. Schuh does not withhold disapproval because improvement requires feedback. The squad runs vigorous drills and Schuh encourages constant chatter to instill the gritty attitude that his team needs. Good grades, coming to practice on time and being a good teammate are Schuh’s off-the-court fundamentals.

“Go watch Gonzaga, go watch Duke,” Schuh told his team during a defensive “shell” drill to get his team to close out and help out on defense. “This is what good programs do. You’ve got to prove to me that you can do this. If I didn’t think you could do it, I wouldn’t be here.”

Drills are tough, but improvement is the ultimate reward. Schuh already sees it after nearly a dozen practices.

“We’re competing and building the program,” said sophomore guard Nathen Grimm, who prefers creating offense with efficient execution over scoring. “We’re putting in the hours and working really hard.”