The Armada senior girls basketball team is on the small side but they’re ready to play big at Totem 59.
Six teams are competing in the Totem girls division including the Armada, Woodlands, St. Andrews. Kwalikum, GP Vanier and Parklands.
“I like our chances. We have a lot of individual talent, and the girls are starting to gel as a team,” head coach Al Seredick said.
The Armada are 7-4 this season and last played in December in a league game against Cahiri, who they beat 50-32. They went 1-2 at Totem 58 and placed fifth.
The Armada are smaller than last year, and that presents challenges with rebounding the ball.
But Seredick sharpened the pencil and devised a new offense that turns the smaller, skilled players into a strength on the perimeter.
“It’s taken some time for them to learn, but I think the girls are getting comfortable with some of the options that the offense presents.”
The team needs scoring, but players also need to up their games on defense. “People don’t understand the impact that individual defensive efforts can have on opposing teams,” Seredick said. “There are a few girls on this year’s team that can play absolutely smothering defense, which can be demoralizing to the opposing team’s best player.”
Parklands is the team to beat at this year’s Totem, he said. “They have arguably the best guard on Vancouver Island in Kristi Gallagher. And Kwalikum’s Michaela Witte of Kwalikum is also pretty good.”
The Armada’s four seniors – Denae Edgar, Taylor Paquette, Julia Hudson and Heather Kennedy to be consistently on their game this weekend.
“Kennedy needs to be a defensive stopper; Hudson needs to rebound; Edgar needs to be a play-maker; and Taylor needs to defend and rebound against taller opponents,” Seredick said. “If the girls do that we will have a good weekend.”
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