This has been a rebuilding year for Cowichan Secondary School’s senior girls basketball team, but coaches Wendy Charles and Shawn Bates are hoping everything comes together as the season winds down.
“We are hoping to finish strong in our last two league games, and if we end up in the challenge match will do our best to avoid a ‘one-and-done” finish,’” Charles said. “We have been working hard to improve all season and would hate to see our team not get a chance to go to playoffs.”
The Thunderbirds currently sit fourth in their four-team league. If they don’t move up before the season ends, they will face Carihi in a challenge game on Feb. 8, with the winner joining the other three teams in the North Island tournament in Port Alberni on Feb. 10 and 11.
The T-Birds’ only two returning Grade 12 players, Maddie Mahon and Mikaila Cardin, have been indispensable, both on the floor and off.
“They are dedicated girls with very positive attitudes so they bring great leadership to the team,” coach Wendy Charles said.
The T-Birds played the first of their last two league games at home against G.P. Vanier on Tuesday night, and visit Vanier next Tuesday. This weekend, the team heads to the Robert Bateman tournament in Abbotsford, where they tip off against Pitt Meadows on Friday night.
Charles and Bates are eager to see what they can accomplish with the T-Birds in coming seasons.
“Shawn and I are very thankful to step into a great program,” Charles said. “Special thanks to Michelle Keserich and Danielle and Jim Nugent for the years of developing the program and making it what it is today. Everything was set up for us to step into, right down to starting the season with brand new uniforms. Our team would like to thank them for making that happen.”