“Success will come this year from playing well together and wanting the best for each other,” said Eastern Girls Basketball Coach Joe Murphy on the upcoming season. The girls went 14-15 last year but are looking too produce winning season this winter.

   Coach Murphy has been head of the girls basketball team for over a decade at Eastern and has found great success in the past even winning back to back Group 4 Championships. As far as this season goes, Murphy predicts the team to be “very quick and athletic”.

   The girls have a young team this year as they only have one senior, Danielle Jackson. Coach Murphy had high praise for Jackson. “She is a very good leader. She stepped in right away and took charge of a lot of things that we do” said Murphy.

   Jackson embraces the role of a team leader. “I take the role of being a leader very seriously. I made sure that this past summer I studied what successful teams and their leaders have done and tried to incorporate their tactics into my own style. My goal is to always be the leader that I never had” said Jackson.

   Another key player to the Vikings this year is junior Anna Accardo. Accardo spoke on the team chemistry saying “Since our first practice together you can definitely see the chemistry developing.”

   Accardo also added that the team is strong when it comes to defense and shooting. She believes the team will thrive off getting steals and scoring transition buckets along with knocking down open threes.

   The Vikings have had four scrimmages so far and have won all four, which gives the team great momentum going into the start of the regular season. Jackson and Accardo are both confident in the team this year. “If we stay healthy as a team, with our athleticism we should have s strong year” said Accardo.

   Hopefully Jackson, Accardo, and the rest of the Vikings can carry their early success into the regular season and be a threat in the Olympic Conference.