PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — The basketball season is heating up with the playoffs right around the corner.
For a team like Palm Beach Gardens Gators, their girls basketball team is picking up right where they left off.
The team is making a push for another playoff berth with only eight players.
As of Friday, the group of girls has only managed to lose two games this season.
They said their secret is stamina.
"Since we don't have the numbers, we need to be in the best shape we can possibly be in," head coach Jessica Salera said. "We want to play fast, so that's what we've been working on every single day."
Salera is in her second year with the Gators and took the team to the state semi-finals in her first year — but that's not enough.
"This year is definitely been about redemption," Salera said. "We ended up losing in the semis on a buzzer-beater in overtime, so we kind of let that fuel our motivation for this year."
Only two seniors remain on the team from last year's squad.
Senior Kyana Poitier, a power forward on the team, is proud to show that with determination and a great game plan, a team can go far.
With the playoffs right around the corner, the girls believe grit and determination will allow them to claim their first state title.
"We made it really far last year with 11 [players]," senior point guard Alicia Russell said. "With eight of us still doing the same thing, blowing teams out and being in shape. I could see it."
