The Sterling Golden Warrior girls basketball team is turning into a new chapter by participating in Byron High School’s Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) tournament for the first time January 18-20. This exciting event marks a significant milestone for the team, showcasing their competitiveness and dedication.
The MLK tournament was formed to bring in some of the best teams in the area to compete with each other at high levels. For the Golden Warriors, this opportunity opens up doors for the girls to make their mark as a new team in this tournament.
Going into the tournament, the team received some insight from some of the coaches on how they are feeling going into this tournament. Assistant coach Cliff Bardell commented, “Playing two games on Saturday and two games on Monday will challenge us physically and mentally. Continuing to work hard in practice on our conditioning will help us prepare physically.”
Along with his statement, assistant coach Gordon Harris added, “I’m feeling really good going into the tournament, there’s some good teams and it’s always nice to get tested before the second round of conference games begin.”
In past years, the girls basketball program hasn’t participated in a MLK tournament. Head coach Taylor Jackson adds, “When we took our Christmas tournament down to one day, we needed to look for a few more games.” Luckily for the Golden Warriors, this tournament wasn’t too far away from home.
As the team develops throughout the season, they have to use their different strengths and strategies to help them. Head coach Taylor Jackson shared, “I think our defense will continue to be our strength and strategy as we go into this tournament.” She also stated, “We are playing new teams that we haven’t played before so making sure our defense is consistent will be important.”
As a new team in the Byron tournament, the Golden Warriors needed to work together to make their mark. Team collaboration will be crucial as they face more experienced teams. By focusing on their strengths and staying determined, they have a high chance of not only hitting a milestone but also winning in the championship.
Overall, the Golden Warriors girls basketball team ended up finishing the tournament with a record of 2-2. Even though they fell short to two teams, they still hit a huge milestone by getting their 20th win against Kaneland.
