The high school basketball season is just around the corner, and the George McDougall Mustangs senior girls are busy getting ready.

Co-coaches Bruce Bunting and Martin Durocher are coaching the team for the first time this year. The Mustangs only have two returning seniors, and Durocher said the team is young and energetic. Even though the squad is mostly comprised of grade ten and eleven players, Bunting said they are still a highly skilled force to reckon with.

"We have five players through the grade tens and grade elevens who all play club basketball. We have two of those players that are currently in grade ten that actually played up a level for U17 club basketball last year as well, so they bring a lot of talent and experience to the court."

The team is already gelling, and that chemistry is attributable to years of playing together on community and club teams. Even though this is the first year Durocher and Bunting have coached the Mustangs, they've worked with the girls in the past on those other teams.

Beside a surplus of energy, Durocher said the players' work ethic and coachability are a real positive. Bunting added that the focus this year will be an open style offense emphasizing fast breaks and full court defense. He's confident the girls will be able to play that style of ball.

The Mustangs also benefit from a deep bench. Bunting said there is consistent skill from players one through twelve.

"The bottom half of the group is skilled players as well, so we're going to use that to our advantage and rotate the lines on a regular basis so that the players see the court eight, ten, twelve minutes a game rather than focusing just on seven, eight, nine players and letting the other three players just kind of sit."

 That will also reap dividends down the line, as the team develops younger players this year for future success in the coming seasons.

Ultimately, Durocher has his sights set high for the season.

"Our goal is to hit the playoffs this year. We've got a young team, we're a bit vertically challenged, but I think our energy's going to make up for it. We have the ability to bring some depth into the team, so we're pretty optimistic."

Durocher acknowledged that Rocky View is highly competitive, but he's confident the Mustangs will be able to play with the best of the division's teams.

The Mustangs will hit the court for the first time on December 5, when they welcome the Cochrane Cobras to the Mustang Corral.

 

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