Going 5-0 and beating 6A powerhouse, Duncanville, varsity girls basketball took home a tournament win at the BeYOUtiful championship tournament on Nov. 13. 

Sponsored by Kendra Scott, this championship hosted a total of 32 high school teams. The teams faced off over two days for the championship title, as well as a three thousand dollar cash donation to the Jed Foundation, an organization that aims to protect emotional and mental health among teens. 

“I think what really allowed us to win this tournament was our chemistry,” center and senior Shelby Hayes said. “We played really well together and our team has really gotten better at understanding our plays really well even when there’s a lot of pressure.”

The girl’s are on their toes this season defending their reigning state championship title. This means even harder training, including offensive and defensive polishing to ensure they can stay on top.

“Since last season I’ve gotten a lot stronger and I’ve improved a lot conditioning wise,” varsity point guard and junior Molly Ly said. “As for the team, we’ve improved on staying composed when things don’t go our way and just our sense of urgency. After winning state last year, we know what’s expected of us and we know what it takes. So we just have to bring it every day in order to succeed.”

Drilling and training have really come into fruition, according to wing and senior Alissa Flaniken. She said she believes that the way they have been training is what drove them to win the tournament. 

“Recently, more situational drills have been implemented into our practices,” Flaniken said. “Such as imitating situations in which we are down by two with twenty seconds left. Or shooting free throws to win an imaginary game. I believe this has been extremely helpful in how we handle pressure. There’s more of an emphasis on doing our best not only for ourselves, but for each other.”

More importantly, the girls have maintained a strong and unbroken bond, according to varsity forward and senior Elaine King. The team gets together frequently outside of practice, which helps them get to know each other. The annual event, Hoopfest, which was held in late October was another way to increase the team’s bond and get their parents and the community involved in the season. She feels that without good team synergy, none of this would be possible. 

“One of our team’s biggest strengths is our chemistry,” King said. “We have so much trust in each other and this allows our game to flow so smoothly. To keep us motivated, we as a team have adopted the motto ‘Never Satisfied.’ This reminds us to continue pushing ourselves to be even more successful and never become complacent with one another.”

After winning five games in the tournament, varsity forward and senior Angelena Sacco studied the differences between how their team played against the other teams. 

“The difference between our team and our opponents is that we have discipline,” Sacco said. “We believe in each other’s ability to win the game. My mindset is to focus on what I can control and what I can do to help the team win in a game. Whether it’s talking to my teammates on the court, or making sure there are ways for others to succeed in that moment and moments later.”

Moving forward, maintaining their performance level is the team’s biggest goal as of late, and for Hayes they have a lot more in store for this season.

“My goal this season is to win another state championship,” Hayes said. “I believe it’s possible since our team has really gotten better at understanding plays. No matter who we play or what teams we beat, we will always have a target on our back. So we have to step on the court and play our hearts out.”

The team heads to Pasadena for the McDonald’s Texas Invitational this weekend and hopes to continue their undefeated streak. District games will start Dec. 14 in Marble Falls.