After an undefeated run during the 2009-10 season, the Escambia County Middle School Eagles are back on the basketball court looking for a repeat of the success they tasted inthe Baldwin County Schools league last season.

The Eagles eighth grade team finished the season a perfect 16-0, but was unable to play in the league’s tournament because they are not apart of the Baldwin County School System.

The seventh grade squad also finished the season unbeaten winning all seven of their contests.

The eighth grade squad has moved on to Escambia County High School this seaosn, but head coach Robert Smith expects good things from his team this year.

“Last season, our eighth graders were very talented, but this year’s team will be just as competitive,” Smith said.

While Smith has been handling his duties with the Escambia County Blue Devils football team, the Eagles have still be been hard at work preparing for their first game, which takes place on Monday.

Smith said the Eagles have been working hard to continue the success they had as seventh graders.

“Coach Lockett has been handling my practices,” he said. “The entire team has been working hard in practice, so I think we’ll be competitive against the Baldwin County schools again this season.”

With his team, Smith sees three players that will be the core of his team that will help them find success.

Smith said he has two forwards and one guard that make the team sound.

“There are three guys that we’ll depend on throughout the season,” Smith said. “Jerome Webster and David Johnson are two forwards who will help us in the post and Gordon Drew is our guard. I think we have the two best forwards in the league.”

The strength of the Eagles this season will be their defense and ability to rebound, according to Smith.

Smith said his team has the ability to keep opponents from getting rebounds.

“We will really strong on the defensive side of the game,” he said. “We also have a great ability to box-out other players and rebound the ball.”

The weakness of the team falls to a physical feature.

Smith said his players are not as tall as the previous eighth grade team.

“We don’t have as much height this season,” he said. “They’ll have to be fundamentally sound to use their other abilities to win games.”

The Eagles first game is Monday against Bay Minette with games beginning at 4:30 p.m. at Escambia County Middle School.