Going into last season, the girls basketball team thought that they had a rebuilding year ahead of them.

There was not much hope for the season due to the loss of four collegiate athletes, two of whom went Division I. The team was young and a bit inexperienced but they came together to have an explosive season. The skill was there but the bond they shared ultimately helped determine the success throughout the season.

Since most of the team is returning they already know the routine, so the coaches decided to try something new for preseason this year.

According to senior Emma Deach the team was told that this preseason’s workouts are going to be harder in order to reach their goal of state this year.

The team finished last season much better than they had thought with a second place ranking by USA Today Illinois State High School Ranking and no. 27 in the nation. There was not much of a change for this season with the loss of only two seniors most of the team is still intact.

“We are pretty confident our team will be able to work hard and go far in post-season,” senior Aaliyah Box said.

Like previous years the preseason work outs are full of intense conditioning from shooting, to skill work, to weight lifting. However this year they are adding another component.
The workouts are more focused on cardio this year. The girls’ trainer Bo wants the team to be able to play all four quarters and still be able to beat the other teams down the court.

“Overall the team wants unity to help ensure that we will be more successful this year then we were last year,” Box said.

The Lady Tigers hope to make this season one for the books.