Despite having a rough start in the opening games of the league season, the Diamond Bar High School girls basketball team has rebounded with better shooting  and a cohesive defensive lineup going into the season.

After starting the season with a 44-21 loss against Montclair, the Lady Brahmas suffered two more  losses, against Chino, 51-21, and Don Lugo, 42-35, before securing  a win against Ontario, 42-24, later in the season.

As large as the score margins were when going up against Montclair and Ontario, head coach Tony McCabe notes that experience and shot quality is their main source of trouble while competing on the court  this season.

“We did a really good job against Montclair, holding them to almost 15 points less than their average, but we didn’t score,” McCabe said. “It’s going to be how we come back from a tough loss and then go on the road and play the toughest team.”

Though the team may be inexperienced compared to the Don Lugo and Chino teams in some aspects, the Lady Brahmas have managed to readjust to the unfamiliar waters of Division 4, even beating neighboring Division 3 school Rowland 43-39.

“If we make our shots, we’ll probably beat you,” McCabe said. “And, if we miss our shots, then we’ll probably lose because the games are so close.”

Without any standout players, the team has depended on their balanced skill set, putting in extra hours to maintain the depth, precision and shooting averages of their games.

“Each day we have somebody who does a little and has a great game, but nobody is displaying great every game,” McCabe said.

Although the Lady Brahmas have found a leading scorer in freshman Kailey Taing, her shots continue to vary, scoring 14 points during some of their games while scoring single digits during others. Sophomore Gizell Lien, however, has maintained her skill level with consistent rebounds and a strong post defense.

With the goal of  making the Mt. Baldy League playoffs this season, the ladies work on refining different skills at every practice before playoffs this  coming season, training for everything from defense to rebounding.

Aided by the strong leadership of senior captains Karen Shao, Charlotte Tu, Juliana Calasan and Amanda Vasquez, the team’s focus and dedication off the court are becoming more clear on court the more they practice well together before games.

“It’s not that we’re not physical and tough, we’re both of those things,” McCabe said. “So, if we fix that, we’ll be right there.”

The Lady Brahmas play their next game at Montclair this coming Friday.