Despite losing their top scorers and missing the state basketball tournament last season, Iowa City West is hoping for a Trojan horse of it's own.
The Trojans women's basketball team enters the season missing 25.7 p.p.g. after graduating two top players. However head coach B.J. Mayer doesn't expect that to deter them.
"We always want to expect a post-season run," Mayer said. "We feel we play in a top conference in the state, and just by doing that it gets us better competition and makes you improve in order to compete. When we get to tournament time hopefully we can be playing our best basketball and have that good experience playing in the Mississippi Valley Conference."
Last season, the Trojans relied heavily upon graduated seniors Emma Krieger-Kittle and Madison Sadecky who averaged 15.3 p.p.g. and 10.4 p.p.g. while both shooting over 60% from the field.
Krieger-Kittle and Sadecky led the Trojans to perhaps the most successful season in Trojans girl's basketball history going 16-6. Mayer is hoping the experience and success of last season, will fuel this season's squad.
"In sports it's very difficult to get tot he next level until you've been there once," he said. "At West, nobody in the girl's basketball program has ever been to the state tournament. So to get to the game before state was just a huge confidence builder. Now they could kind of see what it's like to get to that level. It becomes a different kind of atmosphere, night in and night out.
"I just think the more experience you have in those types of games, better prepares you not only as a coaching staff but players who have been there."
Mayer said Iowa City West has a strong tradition in athletics, and is hoping to soon continue that success this season with the basketball program.
This season the Trojans will be looking to seniors Reed Mackenzie and Kristin Fomon, who have to step up their scoring after averaging 5.2 and 5.9 p.p.g. last season.
A strong start is what Mayer said may mean the difference between taking a step back and having another successful season.
"I think it's going to be very important that we're able to get off to a good start," Mayer said. "Just get our young kids some confidence and hopefully allow them to play a little bit more relaxed."
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