Last year’s electrifying Boilers girls basketball team made a good run in their season. With having a positive record and making it to sectionals, the team has some high expectations this season.

Last season was a real challenge playing teams like Normal West and Lincoln Way East, but the Boilers were able to put up a fight against those teams. The Boilers did have their star player, graduate Mikayla Brandon, who is now playing at the Division 1 level at Northern Illinois University. Brandon was a great part of the team at this school for her whole four years here. Brandon is a star player at all spots on the floor. Wherever Brandon was on the floor she made plays. According to Head Coach, Evan Tingley, “Last year everything happened through Mikayla. We as a team had a great run last year. It was a fun year to watch Mikayla attack from different ways on the floor”.

Without the D1 star Mikayla Brandon, the team’s expectations are a state title. “I expect this team to be really competitive every game. The team’s chemistry is really awesome. They are going to work together really well. This is honestly probably the most hard working group I have coached so far,” said Tingley. Despite losing their D1 star, this team is going to get things done all with the help of another top player on the court, Evey Evans.

Evans is a junior and is an important presence to the team. She is a hard-working and dedicated individual who is going to take off this season. Evans really contributed to the team last year especially being a great duo with Brandon to get the job done. “Evey can really shoot the ball. She is a huge a part of this team. Although she can get that ball in the basket, we are going to have to find more ways to score and improve in those ways” said Head Coach Evan Tingley. Evans has been doing such a great job in her past seasons. With all of her hard work she has been and still is being recognized by scouts at the college level. She has two more seasons including this one with the team left. “I believe we will have a great team this year despite the size we have,” said Evans, a third-year varsity contributor. “We are going to all work together. There is no reason why we can not compete in the postseason.”

Evans has high expectations for her and her teammates and expects to shine on the court with the help of Senior captains Zoie Langlois and Claire Mountain. Langlois and Mountain being in their second year on the varsity squad hope to make their last basketball season a great run. Last season Mountain and Langlois were not on the starting lineup, but still had much contribution to the team. Mountain’s defense along side Langlois’ leadership can be much help to this year’s team

Despite the loss at sectionals last season, the Boilers expect to get it done this season, after opening with a win against Crete-Monee. Although it is a challenge to get things done this season, with this hard-working team, this is going to be an interesting one.