If there’s one thing the Centralia girls basketball team wants to do this season, it’s frustrating offenses.
Months removed from a tough spring season, the Tigers bring back every starter and hope to bring back an improved defense.
“I’m excited that we’re bringing back all of our girls, and I think it will go well as long as we connect with each other on the court,” senior point guard Jadyn Hawley said. “We’re going to be able to compete very well on defense, like we always do.
“We’re very scrappy on defense, I think it’s a great thing. It makes it hard for teams, they have to find something else to do.”
With the season set to begin early next month for Centralia, the Tigers will look to narrow the gap in one of the toughest 2A leagues in the entire state, competing with stalwarts Tumwater, W.F. West, and Black Hills on a regular basis.
With last season’s COVID-19 shortened year now behind them, the Tigers are building toward closing that gap.
“Every night you have to bring your A-game, it’s an exciting time to be preparing for such a competitive league,” Tigers coach Doug Ashmore said. “We need to hang our hat on our defense, we gave up a lot of points in the last couple of years with this tough league we play in. We have to hang our hats there and start to narrow that gap with our defense. The girls have brought that intensity and hopefully we can keep moving forward with it.”
With a third-year starter at point guard, every other starter back, and another experienced leader in the post in Maddie Corwin, the Tigers have the tools to do it. For Corwin, the goal is to leave everything on the court, and see where the chips fall from there.
“Play hard, play smart, and play together,” Corwin said. “It’s just growing more confidence and trying to keep the team together so that we are as strong as we can be.”
The Tigers first game this season will be a Dec. 1 date with Fort Vancouver at home at 7 p.m.
