The Goshen Eagles started the season banged up.

Then they got more banged up.

And more recently, they got banged up some more.

But as the calendar turns to 2014, Johnny Mitchell’s Eagles are finally on the mend.

Mitchell, a veteran coach, has seen his fair share of injury-plagued seasons, but said this one was pretty bad.

“We had some guys beat up from football at the start of the season, and then had a sickness bug come through,” Mitchell said. “They are finally where we want them to be. But it will still take some time to get everyone to 100 percent.”

One Goshen player that isn’t healthy is senior guard Deangelo Orum.

Orum suffered, as Mitchell calls it, a “severe knee sprain,” and is working to return to his starting role.

“Chub isn’t 100 percent,” said Mitchell. “I’d say he is about 80. He doesn’t have the explosiveness he would really like right now. The injury is better than it was two weeks ago, and hopefully in two weeks it will be much better than it is right now.”

In the mean time, Mitchell and Goshen’s able bodies are busy prepping for the uber important January run.

Goshen opens the month on Saturday against Mobile Christian, and will play 13 games over the course of the year’s first month.

During the month, the Eagles will have region play against Zion Chapel, New Brockton and Elba, one of the state’s top teams.

“The month of January is very important for high school basketball teams,” Mitchell said. “If is different than football because if you lose a couple of games in September, it can really hurt you down the road. But in basketball it all comes down to that area tournament. We would like to win all the area game and host the tournament, but know that we need to work all or our kinks out, keep chugging along and be playing the best basketball we can late in the season.

The Eagles begin the second half of the season on Saturday against Mobile Christian.

Tip off is set for 3 p.m.