With balls dribbling up and down the gym, the girls’ basketball season has started.

Varsity

For six years, the coaching staff has repeatedly changed, but this year’s coaching staff seems to stick.

Maddie Loos, junior, has been on varsity since freshman year and she said this coaching staff is her favorite.

“The coaches are really invested in the program this year,” Loos said.

Under new head coach Danny Soliman, the team has grown together.

“In previous years, the team hasn’t worked together well but [Coach Soliman] has definitely reigned us in and created us as a team rather than individual aspects,” Loos said.

In the Lady Padres Tip Off Basketball Classic Tournament over Thanksgiving Recess, the team won against Desert Mountain, McClintock and South Mountain but fell to Cactus Shadows and Desert Vista.

The team opened the season with a loss to Chaparral, 75-38 on Dec. 2, but quickly bounced back with a win over Chandler, 55-43, on Dec. 4.*

Despite their difficult schedule this year, Loos believes the team will do better than previous years and has a definite chance in making it to playoffs.

JV

The JV team was also affected by the new coaching staff.

“New staffing means new plays and what we learned last year is not important anymore, but we’re adjusting well,” said Victoria Padaguan, sophomore.

With some girls moving straight up from freshman to varsity and players not returning this year, the JV team is comprised of a whole new group of athletes.

“I hope we learn to play together as a team since some of us have never played together before,” Padaguan said.

JV kicked off their season with a win over Chaparral, 50-35, on Dec. 2, but lost their game on Dec. 4 to Chandler, 49-29.

Freshmen

Being the new kids of the girls’ basketball program is a challenge, but the freshmen team have executed this with no problem.

The team won against Chaparral, 41-9, on Dec. 2 and Chandler, 42-35, on Dec. 4.

*Since the Talon went to the printer, the girls’ basketball team has had games against Red Mountain, Mesquite, Alhambra and Xavier Prep. You can check out the scores on azpreps365.com.