Triton College women's basketball team aim to win NJCAA Region 4 championship
After four straight runner-up finishes, the Triton College women's basketball team is out to claim a junior college regional title.
The Triton Trojans have already gone on a record-breaking win streak this season.
"We come in the gym, and we have fun every day so, we work hard, but we make sure we have fun while doing it as well," said forward Charity Anderson
That's been a winning combination for Triton women's basketball.
The Trojans capped off a 21-9 regular season, marking a fifth straight with 20-plus wins, but head coach Drew Winston said this year's group has been unique.
"I have a bunch of girls who can score, they're super athletic, super talented, but I think our energy comes from the defense when we're playing good defense, you see us really excited," he said.
So far, it has not only been another successful season but a historic one. At one point, this team rattled off 16 straight wins, which set a program record.
"To be able to win so many games, because my background, I never really won that many games. So coming here to this program with coach Drew, it felt amazing," Anderson said.
"Very blessed to be a part of that. It's been incredible to see this team have a good turnaround because we went through a lot of adversity at the beginning of the season, and to be able to accomplish something like that is really good for the school and for our team," said guard Jayla Rankin.
Rankin is the team's leading scorer and has helped a team that battled injuries during a 3-8 start.
A close-knit group then found a way to win 18 of their last 19 games, heading into the playoffs.
"We call each other sisters, and I guess that's where it starts, from us being as sisters and getting along with each other and building chemistry."
"Battle tested, that's what I like to say, we play some of the top teams in the country in the beginning of the year. We went down to Missouri, played good teams, well-coached programs that just got us prepared for the other teams once we all got together," coach Winston said.
The Trojans enter the NJCAA Region 4 Division I tournament as the No. 1 seed, still feeling like they have something to prove. That would start with making a sixth straight appearance in a championship game.
"Skies the limit, I think we could win regionals, win district, and show a national appearance for our team. I think we'll be very successful this year," Rankin said.
