Stratford was the only thing on their minds.

They had to win. There was no alternative.

And as the Lady Cardinals entered the locker room at halftime during the bi-district playoff game, they knew they had a chance.

They were down 29-26. Just one shot.

But Stratford pulled away in the second half, winning 60-53. Within a matter of minutes, the 2023-2024 varsity girls basketball season met its end.

Now, a year later, with only one senior on varsity, the girls’ basketball program has the youngest team it’s seen in a while, and is back and hungrier than ever.

“I’m just not used to being the person that [my teammates] have to come to, but I’m getting used to it now,” senior Tyniah Smith said. “I know they look up to me, so I have to set an example for them so that they won’t feel like what I do wrong is right.”

Without a heavy senior presence, younger players have had more opportunities to lead the team.

“I do feel like I’m one of the leaders,” sophomore Adalina Beverley said. “I’m very vocal, and if I have to say something I’m going to say it.”

Only a few preseason games in, the team can already see its potential. The Cardinals played their first preseason game against last year’s 6A semifinalists, Desoto High School. Despite a 91-60 loss, this game set a realistic benchmark and showed the team what they still need to work on.

“This year the team is really good [defensively], and just [good] in general,” Smith said. “Everybody has their own personality, so it brings the team together.”

These girls hold themselves to a high standard, remember their goals at every practice and game and as a team understand what needs to be done.

“[One of our] team goals [is] obviously to make it to the playoffs,” sophomore Adalina Beverley said. “We [just] need closer bonds and just [need to start] playing smart and winning games.”

Basketball isn’t anything new to this team. Many of these girls have been playing since they were little and continue to embrace their love for the sport, now wearing red and white while being supported by family and friends.

“I think my dad is my biggest motivation.” Moncrief said. ”He’s always been there for me and he goes to every single game.”

For Beverley, basketball was the world she was born into. She grew up on the sidelines of NBA games watching her dad, Patrick Beverley, who most recently played for the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers. However, last year Adalina Beverley’s season was cut short leaving her stuck on the sidelines.

“I tripped and fell over a girl’s foot while playing basketball and tore my ACL my freshman year.” Beverley said. “I’m just trying to get back in shape, but it is hard.”

Beverley has been working on getting back in shape mentally and physically. Although she is not 100% recovered, she is nearing that number. Transfering to Bellaire has given her another chance to play basketball and surround herself with new people.

“I gained a lot of weight while [recovering] because I wasn’t moving,” Beverley said. “I’m trying to lose weight again but it’s [going] okay.”

Over the course of the last four seasons, varsity girls’ basketball has had three different coaches. Every year, players have had to adapt to new coaches and cultures, with Coach Patrick being the most recent addition to the team as of last season. Despite these changes, the team has always placed first or second in districts for the past five seasons.

“I think Coach Patrick has completely changed our program,” Moncrief said. “He has us watching film [and] recovering, and he structures our practice well so that we all know all the plays.”

These athletes have noticed an increase of people at their game supporting the Cardinals. This is not a new pattern with a surge of people watching women’s sports. Last year’s women’s March Madness championship game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the South Carolina Gamecocks broke records with 18.7 million viewers. Many of these female athletes have come into the spotlight and are inspiring the younger generations.

“I love Paige Bueckers,” Monchrief said. “She works so hard and there are some people that just stand out.”

This spike in viewers has even reached the high school level with more students and fans attending girls’ sporting events. “Pack the Stands” is a saying captivating students to come and support their schools sports including girls basketball.

“You see more people at the playoff games, and more people actually going to the games,” Moncreif said. “It makes playing in that environment so fun, and it makes you really excited to play the games.”

“Now women [sports are] more popular,” Beverley said. “People are just realizing we’ve been good.”