Most people have heard of the biblical story of David and Goliath. It’s one the Lady Titans basketball team is familiar with. After finishing fifth in region play last season, and going barely above .500 the last few years, they know what it’s like to be the underdog.

However, coach Kael Ashton sees strong attributes in his team that just might get them on top once again.

“We are a team. The girls know what I expect of them,” Ashton said. “I believe we can come out swinging and work harder every time we step out onto the court. We have determination, hard work ethic, the talent—it all depends on how we use it when we play a game.”

Aston also noted that with four senior girls who have graduated and moved on, it’s time for the six seniors returning to fill the void and make a difference, both on and off the court. 

“With those four leaving, it leaves a hole because they were all leaders to the younger girls. Now with the six seniors that will be returning, I want them to step up and take on the leadership role. All of them will.”

With community support and the team having a close bond, Ashton believes his team will go far and show that last year’s finish in fifth was just part of a learning curve.

“We definitely have a lot of support. I call this place home. The parents of these girls have been amazing and always wanting to help out in any way that they can. The girls lead by example. It’s always been about team focus and bettering each individual,” he said.

The most important goal for this Lady Titan team is to get back into the playoffs and possibly, the championship game.

“The team and I have talked about getting there again. We’ve had 10 straight appearances of going to the playoffs.  The last couple of years we kept falling short and never quite grasped it,” Ashton said. “I hope to see things get off to a great start once the season kicks off, and we’ll be able to show that we belong there. It’s going to be fun to watch and see what we can bring to the table.”

And they did just that when they defeated Copper Hills High School at home in a nail-biting game on Nov. 19, with a score of 45-44. Olympus held their stance in the winding down minutes as time expired. Katie Warren led her Titan squad with hot-handed shooting, scoring 17 points.