After a 2-8 start to the girls basketball season, head coach Michael Gaines and the girls are looking for something to turn their season around.
The Lady Tigers, 10 games in, have struggled to find wins. In their eight losses, the girls have lost by an average of 14 points and have won their two by an average of eight.
Missing senior forward Kara Gerka to injury and starters from last year that have graduated has caused some adversity for the Tigers, but Gaines says they are handling it well.
“There’s definitely been a lot of challenges but you have challenges with every season that come along. It’s just a matter of what challenges you face. The biggest thing that I think has been a blessing is just a lot of our players to really grow into positions they might not have had to do if those situations wouldn’t have evolved,” Gaines said.
Gerka, who tore her ACL in July, has been back in practice doing drills for about a month consistently.
With 12 games still remaining in their season, there is time for the girls to turn things around before sectionals begin in February.
“Our kids are going to have to stay enthusiastic and positive. We’re just going to keep plugging away, keep doing what we’re doing, keep looking for the right types of solutions to how we play the game and using our personnel the best way,” Gaines said. “There will be a breakthrough moment at some point. When that breakthrough moment occurs, that’s where we really gain that tenacity and that enthusiasm on a daily basis and I think that will be a big step for our team.”
The girls next game is Dec. 11, at Noblesville.
[Photo caption: Sophomores Kenedi London and Sydney Rector close out on a Lawrence Central ball handler on Nov. 3. Tigers won, 41-19. Photo by Megan Jessup.]