Winter sports are starting to pick up which means it’s basketball season, and for the girl’s basketball team, it’s time to work towards a GMC championship. With a new head coach and a polished group of upperclassmen, it looks like a promising season for these girls. However, the GMC is a tough conference.

Mason, the defending GMC champions, have most of their starters returning, including the powerful senior guard, four-star West Virginia commit Madison Parrish. In addition to Mason, there’s also a promising Lakota East team, with 6 ‘1 power forward Bella Sturgill and two developing sophomore guards. Finally, there’s Princeton, the 2023 state champions, who are led by Florida State commit Mari Gerton.

Season so Far…

So far, Lakota West has started at 500, winning over Fairfield 59-40 with junior Caroline Bayliff  leading the team with 19 points. However, they took the court again on December 4th against Middletown, losing in overtime 50-49. 

A Look at the Team

With four returning junior starters and a promising freshman in their starting lineup, Lakota West is looking at a strong group of girls. Leading the team in PPG, APG, and RBG, junior Katie Fox is currently averaging 12.3 PPG, 4 APG, and 6 RBG. However, the stats don’t always tell the full story, especially on the defensive side of the game. Junior guard Sydney Williams always brings defensive energy to the Firebirds, which is hard not to notice. 

The Firebirds are looking to have a successful run, especially with a new coach. Coach Jay Chadwell brings a fresh perspective to the team, hoping to lead them to a long playoff and conference run.