HELENA -- The Helena Capital girls basketball team is in a good spot as it gets ready for the Western AA divisional tournament. Going into the tournament, the Bruins sit at 13-1 in conference play and went undefeated during their non-conference schedule, 4-0.
With three wins in the divisional tournament, the Bruins will secure a spot in the Class AA state tournament starting on March 12. Though the Bruins, like most teams, have a 'one game at a time' mentality, many are excited at the chance to bring home a state championship.
"It would be something that I hope these girls get to experience. I think it would be awesome for them. It's one of those things, as a player, I never got to have that experience," said head coach Katie Garcin-Forba. "I got to experience it as an assistant coach and it was one of the neatest feeling, so I think to have all their hard work come to fruition would be a really cool thing."
The last time the Bruins won a state title for girls basketball was just six years ago, when then-coach Bill Pilgeram led the Capital girls to their first state title in three trips to the championship game. Now presented with an opportunity to try for their second state title in less than a decade, optimism is high -- not just for the present, but the future, as well, given the Bruins boast a roster mainly comprised of juniors.
"That would be so cool, and something I think I'd remember forever -- being on a state championship winning team," said junior Jaymee Sheridan "The other cool thing is that, I'm a junior, so if that happened this year, our chances next year would be even better."
The crystal ball is a bit blurry right now, but one thing is for certain, the No. 1-seeded Bruins will begin their postseason push when they open the girls side of the Western AA divisional tournament against the No. 8 Missoula Big Sky Eagles on March 4 at 12:30 p.m.
