The Bishop Noll girls basketball team won their sixth consecutive Sectional championship, defeating Bowman Academy 72-34 on Tuesday, Feb. 5.

    Around this time last year, the girls basketball team was heading into the post-season with confidence. They were ready to win State, but with a starting roster heavy with freshmen, they lacked the stability and flow of a veteran team. That instability led to loss in the regional championship game against Central Noble. This year, though, the team has that same exciting ambition coursing through their veins–and this time around, they’ve adopted the maturity and collaboration of a well-seasoned team.

   The team’s captain, senior Eric Harris, is very optimistic about what the results of the playoffs this year will be.

   Eris says, “My team is very skilled and we work well together and I think because the beginning of our season started off so well, and without losses we became very confident. But after our first loss I realize that the number of players we have will be detrimental to us. But I still have confidence in my team and I think we will overcome any problem and do what we have to do.”

    According to Eris, in order to win state the team will have to become more disciplined on defense because the fouls are what hurt them in the games. She also says that the team has to stop holding their heads down if they are down by a few points or if the game starts off a little rough. If they get these things together then she believes that this year’s state title will be theirs. One team that Eris would love to play in sectionals is North Judson so that they can redeem themselves from the loss they experienced against them last year at Regionals.

  “I’m looking forward to playing any team. They all doubt us and think we “aren’t all that”, so I just want to show them that we are all that,” says says.

    The girl’s basketball team have proven themselves to be a skilled team so far this season. Their determination and optimism has been some of the biggest factors for the successful season that they have had. The team also has a great ability to adapt to different situations and still be efficient despite there only being six official players on the varsity team. There are not too many teams who would be able to have the same success that the Bishop Noll team has had with only six players.

  According to Eris,“If we go out on the court and start strong and finish strong and stick to what we know works, then no team will be hard to beat.”

  The girls faced Central Noble, the reigning class 2A state champions and victors over the Warriors last regional on Saturday, Feb. 9 in Winamac. Once again, the Warriors fell to the Cougars 51-64.