On Dec. 13, as the final seconds left the clock in a six-point loss to Maple Grove, the Royals’ season seemed to be in shambles with a 4-4 record and the absence of Amir Coffey, junior, more evident than ever.

 A month and six wins later, the Royals are tied at the top of the Lake Conference with Eden Prairie.

 So what changed for the Royals?

“The team has gained a lot of chemistry and started to feel everything out. Everybody is starting to figure out what their role is and how they can best help the team win. The confidence level is high, and everybody on the team trusts everybody else to make the right move,” said John Warren, senior.

 Whatever the team has been doing, they need to keep doing it in their final nine games.

 In their first conference road game Friday Jan. 9 at Edina, the Royals were without starter Simon Wright, sophomore.

In the first half, Wright’s replacement, Ishmael El-amin, junior, and guard Xavier Johnson, junior, weren’t missing shots and the Royals defense wasn’t giving up many points. The Royals’ strong play sent them to the locker room with a 40-36 lead.

In the second half, the Royals did what they have done too much this season: let the other team back in the game. Edina kept hitting shots as the home crowd came alive to back the Hornets. At one point, the Royals’ lead was cut to only three, but with time on their side, the Royals closed out the 85-76 victory.

Personally, I believe the Lake Conference has now turned into a two-team race between the Royals and Eden Prairie. On Friday, Jan. 16, the teams will get their first taste of each other with a battle at Lindbergh Center. After that, their next matchup will not be until Feb. 20. I expect that game to be just a warmup the section final.