The Lady Cats basketball season is officially underway as they competed in the jamboree on Nov. 19 against Humansville, Weaubleau, and Climax Springs. They went 3-0 on the night.
The first game was on Nov. 22, they played Hermitage at home where they won 63-17. Following that, in the Warsaw tournament they went 2-1 and finished in second place after a tough loss to Skyline. They are off to a great start with a winning record to start the season.
“I look forward to hopefully having a better record than last year (team improvement)” sophomore guard Sarah Miller said.
The team hopes to improve on their 2023-24 season when they improved their record to 9-18. The team lost three seniors, but looks forward to a strong season.
“The girls have spent more time playing this last summer, but more importantly I believe that there is a determination amongst the team to have a better season,” Head Coach Matt Henderson said.
Players recognize that basketball is a very mental sport that revolves around the mindset of a person. The headspace being poor could lead to undetermination on the court.
“I’m going to build off last year by giving 100% no matter where I’m at on the court; basketball can be mentally challenging, staying mentally tough can be difficult in strenuous situations,” said junior guard/forward Jessie Bilderback.
Senior guard Keira Mostaffa said the team is focused on working together toward common goals.
“I feel the challenges come as a team. The other sport I do is an individual sport so my biggest challenge is adjusting to playing with others as a team, making sure everyone is on the same page and that everyone wants the same outcome of the season,” said senior guard Keira Mostaffa
The Lady Cats have returned with two new players, and eleven in total.
“I am not fond of standing in front of crowds… but when the girls are playing, and I’m coaching, it is just them and me. It’s like everything else fades in the background, and we are battling out against our opponents. These girls have matured a lot in the last year, and I expect during the upcoming season, not to have to watch every detail as much, but to do more directing of what opportunities there might be,” Henderson said.
Players benefit beyond learning the skills of the game.
“My favorite part of basketball is playing the schools we’ve never played before and the new friends that you can make from the sport,” Bilderback said.
The complexity of basketball takes a whole team, rather than one person. Conditionally working around one person could lead to failure in offensive plays, or even poor defensive plays. The chances of winning a game become much higher when the team works as a whole.
As a person being around crowns can be tough, but in the moment everything can go silent.
Basketball has more meaning than winning, and it takes a bigger even pull on the heart when loved ones are around and supporting.
