A year ago, the 8th grade--then 7th grade girls won the Consolation Championship. Following that, they won their first game of the season and never won again.
True, a team shouldn't always be judged by wins and losses, but most of their games left a lot to be desired. They were able to compete with other teams, but never able to finish strong. This season, it's a different story.
Their last game was a perfect reflection of how far they have improved from a year ago.
They shot great from the free-throw line, played some dominant defense and bounced back from some sluggish moments.
The class of 2009 collectively features some of the most athletically gifted girls our school has seen in the past few years. They have a lot of valuable parts that not many other teams do -- good ball handlers, size inside and some timely shooters.
Aside from their talents, their confidence and belief in each other is at an all-time high. It clearly showed when they blew a 10-point 4th quarter lead earlier this season, and still came back to win the game in the final seconds.
Coming out of halftime last Saturday, they got outscored 5-0 to start the second half and had their lead cut down to 6. They quickly regrouped, pulled it together, and found themselves up by 15 to start the 4th quarter.
They no longer play games hoping to win, but they expect to.
Even from the beginning of this year to now, they have improved. No longer present are the lob passes and laziness that was at times evident when this team played. Free-throw shooting, once a deficiency, is now a strength.
If they can maintain their level of play and execution, there will be magic in the month of May.
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