The Liberty girls basketball team has seen the hard times and taken its lumps the last few seasons.
This year, head coach Denise Arline is convinced her girls are ready to turn some heads and put the Raiders on the map.
“I am really excited about the upcoming season and I think we are going to have a really good year,” Arline said. “We have some really good players returning and our younger players are really good as well.”
Leading the group of returning players will be four seniors Brooklyn Brown, Kirsten Miller, Alayna Cline and Chloe McGhee. Brown and Miller will be the team captains.
“The seniors have been with us all four years now. I told them that this is their year and we are going far. They really want it,” Arline said. “They are not as timid and nervous as they have been in the past. They put in a lot of work over the off-season and played several games in the summer league which is good. Their goal is to help Liberty have a winning season.”
Brown will patrol the post for the Raiders, while Miller with handle the point guard duties. Cline and McGhee will do their work on the perimeter.
“Alayna and Chloe are mentally tough. They are always looking to the next play and are assertive with the ball,” Arline said. “They are also determined to have a winning season this year.”
Junior Sadi Stone is back this year, along with several returning sophomores, including Rhiley Honaker, Ariahna Combs, Harleigh Meadows, Kaitlyn Cantley and Kaliyah Brooks.
“The sophomores are a big group and should give our offense more movement. Rhiley played varsity as a freshman. She is really talented, but she has also improved from last year. From what I have seen in practice so far, she is different this year. She is a go-getter. Kaitlyn played some varsity as well.”
Arline also has a large freshman group that includes the daughter of assistant coach Cliff Yates, Ava Yates, and Payden Cooper who has been a bright spot early with her speed and versatility.
“Ava Yates is a great player and she will play varsity. When we practice for two hours, if her dad is not ready to go, she practices for another hour or so,” Arline said. “She loves basketball and she is willing to play any position that we need her. I asked what was one of the best thing in her life and she said basketball.”
Besides the amount of experience she has back this year, Arline has also been impressed with the attitudes of her players.
“I think this group is one of the more confident teams that we have had and I think that will show from our first game this year. In the past, we have been great in practice, but in the games they are a little shy and hesitant. I don’t think we will see that this year. This team has good chemistry and is unselfish. It also the deepest team we have had.”
Liberty opens the season at home on Dec. 3 against Midland Trail.
