Basketball is not just a game; it is an intense competition between two teams fighting for the same goal: winning. The Girls’ Basketball team has been practicing all year to lead up to this moment and has proved their stance for the upcoming season. 

Drills are a fun and easy way to keep the girls in shape for the season while focusing on essential skills such as dribbling and passing. 

While the eleven-man drill is by far the most popular, Branson Hill (11) mentions how she enjoys “just shooting with not a lot of running”. 

Aleah Williams (9) has been working on all of her skills through pre-season, but her “best trait is definitely [her] hustle and strength” which will prove useful throughout the season. 

Drills also lead to a lot of funny moments and opportunities for team-building. An overall great aspect of the girls’ team this year is their overwhelming bond and great communication skills; these skills allow them to be aggressive on and off the court during games and practice. 

Shaniya Johnson (9) said that some of her favorite funny memories were when other teammates would make their clothes baggy on purpose during practice and “when Aeryn and [her] were chasing after a ball and fell on top of each other”. 

With all of these fun memories to start the season, the games are what everyone is really looking forward to. 

Lexi Pickles (12) and Gracie Craft (11) are both excited to face off against Carterville this year. Lexi Pickles believes that Carterville is “one of the toughest opponents [they] face this year”, so getting the experience in will prepare them for the postseason. 

Craft is excited to face off against her family’s hometown and claims that her aggressiveness this year will prove to be valuable during these games. 

Speaking of games, the girls’ team last week played in their first competitive event of the year with the Herrin Invitational. They were able to land great victories and only faltered once in Carterville. However, the team was still able to take home some hardware by placing second overall among the teams. 

Moments like these are what keep players going and fuel their passion for the sport. Cayle Ward (11) takes after her father who inspired her to play in the first place, jokingly saying that “once you join, you can never leave.” 

Coach Emling is also excited to start the year off and “[expects the] girls to play hard all the time and keep a positive attitude” during this season. 

The Girls’ Basketball Team is only just getting started this year, but they are already exhibiting promise to show up and show out at each game.