Taking the next step

One game or was it a series of games? Whatever it was the Bremerton girls basketball team hasn’t forgotten the bitter end of last year’s season. They finished one game on the wrong side of postseason play.

Now, in less than a year, the girls are vowing that this is their year to redeem themselves for last year’s stumble down the home stretch.

“I expect us to be very successful and make it to the state tournament,” said senior Alyshia Lindsay.

The keys to success this year are going to be desire and determination, Lindsay said.

“We don’t have time to collapse this year,” she said. “The younger players look up to us and I think they want it for us.”

Junior point guard Jennifer Jacobs said she spent her entire summer working on her overall game, so she could step into her new role as the team’s floor leader.

“I think we’re going to make it to the playoffs and we have been working as a team, so we can achieve that goal,” Jacobs said.

The underclassmen are determined to do all they can to propel the team to postseason play for the seniors, who have never been to the playoffs, Jacobs said.

“We expect to be in the playoffs this year and we feel we should’ve been last year, but we missed it by one game,” said Bremerton coach Daniel McInnis.

Members of the team played pretty well during the summer highlighted by going undefeated in the Gig Harbor AAU tournament, McInnis said.

“The girls on this team have played together for a long time and they know where they are going to be,” he said. “The key for us is to keep it going.”

The team will utilize a fast-paced press-and-run style of play to keep the ball moving up and down the floor, he said.

“We’re a little small upfront in the post, but I still think we’ll be able to rebound with anyone,” he said.

McInnis said he is counting on his seniors to provide floor leadership in both the games and in practice.

“We’re looking for them to help get the girls in here and help them working together,” he said.

Juniors Jacobs and Kayla Bennett will be looked upon to score, while senior Alyshia Lindsay will be counted on to hit the boards, he said.

Unlike the boys who open their season today at the King’s West Jamboree, the girls will have to wait until Tuesday when they travel to Klahowya for their season opener.

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