It’s going to be a season about building experience.
That’s how the Bashaw Rebels senior girls basketball team and head coach Al Middleton are approaching this new season and what the club did in their first tournament of the season.
Bashaw and Forestburg co-hosted the inaugural Battle River Breakout tournament on Dec. 13 and 14, with a young Rebels squad already dealing with a short bench and missing some personnel due to illness.
The team struggled in their three games — losses to Castor, Acme and New Norway — which included one contest where the Rebels were able to crack the double digits on the scoreboard.
“The girls had the opportunity to play against some strong teams and gain some much-needed experience,” said Middleton.
“Our biggest downfall was the ball just wouldn’t fall through the hoop. The girls had lots of chances, but we just couldn’t finish.”
Middleton added, with just eight senior high players, he’s had to bring up a pair of Grade 9 players to fill out the roster.
“We not only have a short bench, but we only have a pair of Grade 12s, so our team does not have as much experience as I would like,” he said.
“This will be a season to build on both skills and teamwork. My goal is to have the girls continually develop each time they get on the court. For us, experience will be a key.”
