Coming off a disappointing first-round exit in the CIF playoffs last year, the Diamond Bar High School girls basketball team is already showing signs of improvement after dominating its first two preseason games and the Claremont tournament last week.

Last season, the girls finished with an overall record of 11-14 while holding a league record of 4-6 in the Palomares League.

In the girls’ inaugural season in the league, the biggest problem was the inability to finish games. The team lost against Glendora, 48-45, even with a ten point fourth quarter lead. Another close loss was an away game against Ayala in which the girls were unable to extend the game to overtime after missing a three pointer with 14 seconds left in the game.

While three of last year’s captains graduated, head coach Tony McCabe believes that the team has a strong chance at success this season due to the return of seven players.

Players that are back for the new season include senior captain Destinee Garr, along with new captains senior Kayla Rice, and juniors Lauryn Del Campo and Juliana Gamboa. Garr and Rice have been varsity players for their entire high school career, and Garr has been a starter in all four years.

According to McCabe, the most important piece in the team’s bid for league is having all of the players ready to go. Last year, the team lost one of its best ball handlers in Del Campo to a knee injury during the preseason and junior forward Candace Black to transfer ineligibility.

Both Garr and Gamboa were leading factors for the team’s success to the playoffs last year as the two were named to the first team all-league.

Starting this year off, the Lady Brahmas were ranked fifth in the San Gabriel Valley. To make the season even easier, the team was bumped down from Division 1-AA to Division 1-A.

Even though the team is still a month away from playing its first league game, the girls are still preparing to set every game to the highest standard.

“Every game is a league championship. The best team plays ten championship games in league. The worst team would only play one,” McCabe said.

Before the season begins, the team will be in the San Dimas Tournament this week, and the Don Lugo Tournament from Dec. 26-30.