The former Houston Rockets Head Coach, Rudy T. once said, “Never underestimate the heart of a champion.” Those words could never be more right. On Tuesday night, the Lady Vikings basketball team played against St. Agnes in a district showdown.

The game started in favor of St. Agnes, who jumped out to an early 9 point lead. The Vikings chipped away, but a mini St. Agnes run to end the 1st quarter saw the Vikings trailing, 18-11. The Vikings quickly settled down and started executing in the 2nd quarter, but adversity soon kicked in. 3 starters picked up 3 fouls in the first half and Coach Brotherton was forced to go deep in his bench. 2 Freshman, Jordan de la T. and Zoe G stepped up and gave quality minutes off the bench. Senior leader and captain, Caren E, also came in to give her team a lift. The Vikings closed the gap heading into halftime, but Agnes still led 24-20.

The 2nd half was similar to the 2nd quarter. The Vikings controlled tempo and forced St. Agnes to score in the halfcourt against our set defense. Elisa F did a great job of rebounding, limiting them to only 1 shot on the offensive end. After the 3rd quarter, the Vikings entered the 4th with the lead, 31-30.

Having been in this position before, the Vikings never wavered. They had previous success to fall back on. The Vikings have not lost at home in over 2 years (Jan 2015). This season, the Vikings entered the game 5-0 when games were decided by 8 points or less. They knew how to battle. They knew the importance of staying together, overcoming adversity, and the attention to detail required to win tough games against a quality opponent. Coach Brotherton was quick to praise his team following the game. “I am so proud of the toughness, grit, and poise of our basketball team. We overcame a lot of adversity tonight, against a really good team. We have a special trust and belief in each other. This togetherness empowers us in close games, which leads to our success in those high pressure moments.”

The Lady Vikings are now 5-0 in district, with a tough road test coming this Thursday against Incarnate Word. This Lady Viking team is a force to be reckoned with. They expect a lot out of themselves, and there is a high level of accountability and trust in each other. Last night’s win demonstrated that resilience and, as Rudy T. said over 20 years ago, “Never underestimate the heart of a champion.”