Who says middle school basketballers don’t play as hard as their high school counterparts.

The Cardozo Middle School boys basketball season began last week with games against El Portal of Escalon. They have six more home games through Feb. 17.

Both the sixth-seventh and eighth grade teams seemed well organized in the Jan. 12 opener. Unfortunately the sixth-seventh grade team fell 33-10 to Escalon, and the eighth graders suffered a similar fate, 39-26, but it wasn’t for lack of trying, as the middle school squads battled until the final buzzer.

The Eagles don’t play at home again until Jan. 26, when CMS welcomes Salida.