Girls basketball focuses on fundamentals

With only four returning varsity players, the Bigfork High School girls basketball team has some fundamentals to work on before the season starts.

But head coach Mark Hansen said the goals are still the same as they’ve always been — win the divisional tournament and head to state.

“We’re as tall as we’ve ever been and we’re as young as we’ve ever been,” Hansen said. “We still have the high expectations we always have.”

The Valkyries won their district bracket last year, pushed hard through divisionals and made it into the state tournament.

Hansen lost three of last year’s starting five players. This means the season will be spent building the fundamental skills the team needs to succeed this year and beyond.

He has 23 girls on the teams, 11 of whom are freshmen. Hansen said as a whole his freshmen group is tall, athletic and has a lot to offer to the team and the team’s future.

“That’s a bright spot,” Hansen said. “The freshman group as a whole are doing a really great job.”

Shelby Scoggins, Tessa Robertson, Riley Coleman and Stevi Siloti are Hansen’s returning varsity players who had significant playing time last year. With Scoggins being the only senior on that list, Hansen said the team will be looking to her for leadership this year.

“She knows the ins-and-outs,” Hansen said. “It’s up to her to show the girls the way both on and off the court.”

Hansen said the team will also look to Robertson for guidance, as all three of her high school years have been spent playing for varsity.

Last week, Hansen began focusing on practices that revolved around defensive fundamentals and prepping the girls for basketball shape. Although many of the girls played volleyball and soccer, Hansen said those seasons didn’t prepare them for what basketball needs.

“There’s more stopping and going than any other sport,” Hansen said.

As the team has only had a few practices, Hansen said he really won’t be sure about where the team is until after the blues and whites scrimmage on Friday.

There is a parent meeting before the games, starting at 6 p.m. The girls team plays after the meeting, and the boys play after that. The tip-off tourney kick starts the Valkyries playing season with games against Hamilton and Dillon the weekend of Dec. 8 and 9.