The Iowa Yellow Jackets boys basketball team will look to continue their undefeated start to the season this weekend when they host the Mallett Builders tournament.

The Jackets have opened the season with seven wins, all by double digits.

Head coach Rob Melanson said team unity has been a key as the team has seamlessly worked in its contingent of players from the football team.

“Team chemistry and been good one through twelve,” Melanson said. “At the Grand Lake tournament (last weekend) we had everyone. Before we got the football players, the ones that didn’t play football carried us like they were supposed to. That was my challenge to them. Now, we added some muscle and extra toughness.”

The Jackets swept three games in Grand Lake, beating Westlake 81-38 in the title game.

“I thought our defense was good and led to some easy baskets,” Melanson said.

Challengers this weekend will include Sulphur, Sam Houston, Elton and Lake Arthur.

“Sulphur comes in with an 8-3 record,” Melanson said. “They have a deeper team than they have had in the past. If we can beat a team like that, we can get a lot of power points.

“Sam Houston has been playing better. They have good guard play and can really shoot the ball. We played Elton earlier. It looks like they have started to turn things around and are back to .500. They’ll play Lake Arthur, where Elton coach Freddie Thomasee used to be. That should be a good game.”

There will be plenty of talent on display.

“We have a few good ones in Desamonte Gradney, Dashawn Ceaser and Landon Langley,” Melanson said. “Sulphur point guard Zavien Trent is good. Sam Houston sophomore Seth Ned is a good guard. Demarcus Jack is a four-year starter at Elton.”

While the boys will play a bracket, the girls will start with a round-robin of two groups, with seedings for the semifinal round based on those results. Top teams in the girls field include Hathaway (13-3), Bell City (8-2) and Lacassine (11-6). Top players include Hathaway’s Sienna Guidry and Lamiyah Sanchez, Lacassine’s Sydnie Cooley, Bell City’s Mea Herpin and Peyton Herpin and Jaya Gradney and Kamylle Jones.