A season of change

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, February 26, 2002

Go Tigers go! Go Tigers go! The sound that comes from the gym at Albert Lea High School during a basketball game.

Tuesday, February 26, 2002

Go Tigers go! Go Tigers go! The sound that comes from the gym at Albert Lea High School during a basketball game.

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This year, the chants have grown louder for the ALHS girls’ basketball team, which has gone 7-5 during the second half of the season. The wins have brought fans to the gym and pride back to the program.

What’s the secret to the Tigers’ turnaround? At least one reason is chemistry.

&uot;We play better as a team than we have in the past,&uot; said senior Danielle Jacobs. &uot;We get along better than we did last year.&uot;

That seems to be what everyone on the team and coaching staff thinks is the reason for the girls’ winning ways. All 11 players on the varsity said in one way or another that this year’s girls’ basketball team gets along better than before. Most importantly, no one thinks they are better than another.

&uot;We know now that two or three people can’t support the entire team,&uot; said senior Jenny Vanderploeg. &uot;It takes support from all five players on the court.&uot;

For the first time in many years, the ALHS girls defeated Mankato East, Mankato West, Owatonna and Rochester John Marshall. They also came close to Big Nine powers Faribault and Rochester Mayo.

Though the girls give credit to their coaches and assistants for help, head coach Karol Hansen gives all the credit to the team for winning games and restoring respect to the program.

&uot;They play hard, aggressive and physical as a team,&uot; said Hansen. &uot;They don’t look for one person, instead they look for each other to look good on both ends of the court. They are out to prove they can play as well as any team in Big Nine, and to prove that Albert Lea isn’t an easy game.&uot;

Not only is it the coaches that push for the better performances, but fellow teammates are there to complement each other and encourage each other on the court.

&uot;We have a strong team bond, as players we complement each other,&uot;’ said senior Beth Kolling. &uot;We have a lot of confidence in each other and what we do. We want to go out there and show them what we got.&uot;

Another factor of winning is the defense, a factor that the Rankin sisters believe is something that is improving more all the time.

&uot;We try to do more on defense,&uot; said senior Ashley Rankin. &uot;We switch defenses a lot which is good at throwing off the other teams.&uot;

Sophomore Danielle Rankin added, &uot;We’re playing a lot better on defense then in previous years, because we are playing better as a team.&uot;

The Tigers hope their approach leads to victory in their Section 2AAA opener tonight, when the fifth-seeded ALHS girls travel to fourth-seeded Willmar.