The best start to a season in Woodland basketball history hasn’t been led by an unstoppable offensive attack or one superstar player lighting up the scoreboard.

Instead the Wildcats have relied on team defense and unselfish play to jump out to an 18-1 start.

Head coach Mike Tobin said no player on his team sums up “team defense and unselfish play” more than senior forward Chandler Royal.

“He doesn’t get all the accolades that some of the guys scoring more points do, but he is our strongest post player and works so hard on the defensive end,” said the Woodland coach of his starting power forward.

“I want to say he has taken, like, 17 charges — that alone is the ultimate sacrifice on court and he is willing to do it at any time.”

Royal, a 6-foot-4 forward, is in his third year of varsity basketball at Woodland and third year in the starting lineup. His defensive efforts this season, and those of his teammates, have helped Woodland become the best defensive team in 7AAAA and one of the top units in the state.

The Wildcats rank third in the state in points allowed (47.0 per game), have held their opponents under 45 points nine times, and have yet to allow the opposition to crack the 70-point barrier.