By Blake Chadwick

Entering his 22nd year coaching and his ninth as the head coach, Bennington’s Curtis Pickering knows how special this year’s team can be. 

Returning seniors Eli Lawson, Mister Smith, and Talan Pickering, and juniors Kian Wilson and Payge Rodebeek, the Bulldogs return all five starters after a 19-win team a season ago.

Pickering isn’t going to let the hype get to their head, though. 

“We are going to play hard, play smart, and play together every practice and game to give ourselves the best chance to be as successful as possible,” Pickering said. “We return all five starters from last year, and we are excited to watch our experience help us be successful.” 

With the seniors playing a lot of basketball together, it is truly now or never for the Bulldogs. 

“The core of this group of boys have been playing together since the 3rd grade,” Pickering said. “It’s been an awesome journey watching them mature, compete, and have fun together.”

It has been even more special for coach Pickering to watch his son and point guard, Talan, lead his teams. 

“This might sound like a cliché, but it truly is a dream come true,” Pickering said. “It is a special situation when any parent is able to coach their kids, but it has made it so much more enjoyable with Talan because of his incredibly high interest in the sport.”