When their season tips off with a scrimmage against Bishop Canevin on November 23rd, things will look very different for Moon Lady Tigers Basketball. There are two main hurdles awaiting the team this year: they lost seven graduating seniors (two of whom were starters), and their section was realigned. Last season, the Lady Tigers, who compete in WPIAL class 5A, were one of six teams in their conference. Now, following the departure of Trinity and Lincoln Park and the arrival of Chartiers Valley, Mars, and New Castle, the Tigers will have to compete for one of four playoff spots in a seven-team section.
When asked about the impact of the section change on the upcoming season, senior Alicia Bronner said she “wished that [Lincoln Park] was still in the section” because of the rivalry between the two schools. Bronner also said that new teams, specifically Chartiers Valley, would be tough opponents for the Tigers. However, it could be an exciting opportunity to renew the competition the teams had when playing in the same section three seasons ago.
On the subject of the vacuum left by the seven graduated seniors, senior team captain Jayla Brown commented, “Losing valuable seniors is always tough because they bring experience and leadership to the team. Although I miss having them around…it’s an opportunity to prove that we can achieve our goals with the players we have now.” Brown also emphasized how close she was with some of the seniors and how she hopes to be a role model for the underclassmen this year.
The Tigers may also be looking to get their licks back on teams such as West Allegheny (the Tigers split the series with their backyard rivals last year) and South Fayette, who eked out the Tigers in overtime. However, Jaedin Griggs, the Tigers’ leading scorer and the sole sophomore nominated to last season’s first team all-section, feels that there is no extra motivation for the team in these games. “We’re determined to put up a good fight for all teams we play and trust that our hard work will end up paying off against all our opponents,” said Griggs.
Another narrative for the Tigers going into this season is how last year ended. The Tigers landed a playoff spot on the final day with a narrow win over Montour, but their season ended in heartbreak when they lost to Indiana in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs. Maria Depner, sophomore guard, feels that “[The Indiana loss] taught us a lot. We know we can’t underestimate anybody…It was a really difficult experience that we’ll learn from.”
Regardless of what this season brings, Moon students can be sure that the Lady Tigers Basketball team will showcase their hard work and adaptability every time they step onto the hardwood.
