The Wildcat girls basketball team took on two tough teams in its first week of play and came out with one win.

Last week, the ladies defeated Birmingham Groves and took a loss against Walled Lake.

Going into the weekend on Dec. 7, the Wildcats overcame Birmingham Groves at home 43-33. Head Coach Rachel Bryer was particularly impressed with the victory, noting Birmingham’s taller roster.

The two teams went back and forth with the lead throughout most of the game, but the Wildcats pulled ahead in the fourth quarter and didn’t look back. Bryer said senior forward HaLaya Cato was instrumental in the victory, guarding a player who was nearly a foot taller than her.

Some of the team’s top scorers were senior guard Ashley Hershman, who put up 17 points and five rebounds, as well as senior forward Ana Raab with eight points. Bryer noted the team played an exceptional passing game and the 43 points were split between seven players.

“The defense is what kept us alive,” Bryer said.”We practiced and discussed how we would execute versus a taller team, and the girls followed our plan.”

A few days earlier on Dec. 4, the ladies took a loss against White Lake Central in a 37-24 game.

The squad fell behind Walled Lake by eight points in the first quarter and was never able to catch up. In the second quarter, junior guard Gabrielle Dinges, Hershman and Cato fought hard offensively to put the Wildcats down by six going into the half.

But, despite their efforts throughout the final quarters of the game, they were unable to recover and lost by 13 points.

Cato led the team with 13 points and six rebounds, followed by Hershman who put up two points and eight rebounds.

“We are still learning, growing, and developing, but one thing is for sure, my girls play hard every-time they hit the floor,” Bryer said of the team’s first game.

The ladies are now 1-1. The squad will be back at it on Dec. 18 when they host Romeo.