The girls basketball team is halfway through with the season, and the team is seeking ways to improve after their most recent loss to Male in the LIT tournament.

Head coach Jeffery Sparks leads a team of many all-star players whose record belies incredible ability. Tonysha Curry (10, #23) currently leads the state in points per game, and Krys Mccune (11,#55) is among the top five rebounders. Teanna Curry (12, #00) is among the top five in steals and assists per game.

“We’ve got a great unit,” Sparks said. “Sydney MacBlane (12, #22), Aricka (Prenice, 12, #25), Tonysha, Tiana and Krys are all very talented. We start every game very fast, we sometimes go on 7-0 to 9-0 runs and we run the score up.”

The Lady Crimsons have a lackluster 17-6 record even though the team is extremely talented.

“We have a tendency to get tired half way through games and more of our flaws come out,” Sparks said. “We begin to miss free throws and don’t look for the best shot.”

Free throws and shot selection are two nagging flaws that the Lady Crimsons have faced all year. Missed shots and free throws have cost Manual several games, including the most recent game against Male.

These deficiencies have generally manifested themselves during close games, as Manual has a tendency to choke when they hit rough patches during a game. On Dec. 17, Butler defeated Manual in overtime 53-52. Manual missed wide-open shots and choked on layups throughout the game.

“Our free throws cost us this game,” MacBlane said. “Other things bothered us all game like shot selection, but if we had made just one of our many missed free throws we could’ve won that game.”

Since Manual was eliminated from the LIT, the Lady Crimsons will look onto the rest of the regular season and then to postseason play, starting with the District 25 Tournament in late February.