Girls basketball in Altoona is thriving.
Few teams in the Mid-Penn have four players who each score at least nine points per game (PPG). The Lady Lions is actually a singular entity.
As of January 6, the following players have either hit or above the 9 PPG threshold: Melana Eyer (14), Zaelinh Nguyen-Moore, Altoona (9.3), Brionna Hudson (9.2), and Lanie Wilt (9.0). Due to their efforts, Altoona defeated Central Dauphin 59-58 on Tuesday night, extending their winning streak to seven games.
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Too many mouths to feed has led to the failure of uber-talented teams on several occasions. That is not the case with this Lions club, though, since they have a solid culture.
Head coach Chris Fleegle told PennLive, “We’re team first.” We are focused on winning and the objectives we set for our team at the start of the season.
The Lions are in second place in the Commonwealth with a 5-1 division record after Altoona jumped out to a 10-2 start to the season.
Altoona’s strong start can be attributed in large part to their team-first mentality. The Lions’ selflessness is evident in the way they approach the game. In Altoona’s attack, the players and the ball are always in motion. It results in both cutters and open shooters.
The more the players use Altoona’s swing to elevate a decent shot to a great one, the more they buy in.
Hudson stated that they were playing together and helping one another. We become closer and perform better as a team the more we play together.
Don’t be misled; none of these females are system players, despite the fact that it’s a powerful system and pretty lovely to watch. The fact that these women are hoopers gives them a lot of confidence every night.
“I am really confident in our team,” Wilt stated. We have four players averaging nine points, but it’s difficult to have a game where everyone plays well. We have skilled ball handlers and shooters who can produce for both themselves and other people. Any one of our team can take over, I’m sure of it.
Everyone has obviously embraced the culture that Fleegle established. His methodical approach concentrates on carrying out and doing the small details correctly.
When Fleegle started, Eyer and Wilt were on the team. Now seniors, they guide the other members of the squad in adhering to the culture.
Wilt is well aware of the requirements for success in this culture and system. All egos have been checked at the door under her leadership.
“You must maintain your humility,” Wilt added. Someone can easily take that right away from you if your ego gets too enormous.
With this culture in place, the Lady Lions’ options are endless, and Altoona has had a fantastic start to the 2024–2025 season.
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Rymir Vaughn can be followed on X@RymirVaughn.
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