Last year, the BSM girls’ basketball team came close to punching their ticket to State but fell short in the Section 6 final to Cooper: who would eventually go on to win the Class AAA title. They ended their regular season with a winning record of 17-9. Leading the team in points is now senior Captain Aiana Whitfield averaging 15.8 points a game.

This new season brings hopes of completing the task in the section final. With four returning starters, the team has been preparing for the season in hopes of ending it at the Target Center. “Every year we have progressed one game in sections and this year we want to finish our goal of getting there,” Whitfield said.

Everyone brings something different to benefit the team in games. Cheyanne is a key defensive player that helps the team get back on offense along with Tootie who is good at crashing and getting rebounds. “Me and Izzy were our main scorers last year,” Whitfield said.

Along with these veterans, there are a few rookies who are hopeful to make an impact on the team. “We have a couple new kids in our program, so we have to kind of figure out what role they have on our team and figure out where’s their best place on the floor for shots and try to get them involved to maximize their strengths,” Head Coach Mr. Bob Lyons said.

Cooper, again, will be the biggest competition in making it to state. The girls play them twice in conference play during the regular season and likely once in sections. “I want to see us grow. Early on, can we manage the expectations and can we just keep getting better each day,” Lyons said.

Their season started off with the Thanksgiving Tip-Off Tournament at the University of St. Thomas where they won games against Winona Cotter and Rochester Lourdes. They have many games throughout the season to learn and grow from top teams in the state. “It’s a long season so I’m hoping that we are playing our best basketball in February,” Lyons said.