Basketball season is fast approaching and the Newman Lady Jet’s are eagerly awaiting the onset of a new season.
The Lady Jet’s, who have only five returning players out of a roster of 14, adapted well to the changes within the squad.
“The new kids bring a lot of energy and everyone works hard,” Head Coach Darin Spence said.
“The five returners help to establish the culture of the team,” Spence said, and he plans to utilize this aspect.
“The returners really get it,” he said. “They understand the message we want to get across and that’s a great tool to have.”
Spence said the energy is high on the court this year and senior guard Kesha Buckner agrees.
“We feed off of each other and we’re all in it to win it,” Buckner said.
Junior guard Brianna Caldwell said she thinks that high energy is exactly what they need to excel this season.
“We’re taking the energy from the end of last season and using it to add to this season,” Caldwell said. “We have a very positive vibe this year. We all want to success and we’ll work hard to do so. We’re here working hard every single day.”
Spence said he can see the girls’ effort every practice.
“We always talk about whether you’re interested or invested,” he said. “And this group is really invested.”
The women’s team was picked to finish eighth in pre-season Heartland Conference polls. Spence said he could see his team placing higher but that they have a lot of work to do before then.
“We need to become a better defensive team and more efficient on offense,” Spence said. “But I like how we’re working and I think we’re progressing every day.”
Buckner said she believes her team is capable of finding a lot of success this season.
“We’ve got a chip on our shoulders and we’re coming to do some big things this year,” she said. “We’re coming. We play as a team, we gel together, and we believe in each other.”
Spence said he enjoys working with this group because they find a way to have fun with the game.
“The group has fun together and has fun playing basketball for the love of the game,” he said. “The sky is the limit, we just need to keep our minds together and our attitudes together and keep moving forward daily. I think it’s going to be an exciting group.”
