Without two of the team’s top players, you would expect a rough start to a season. However, the Westside girls basketball team has started strong without starting point guard Shannen Pickering and center Jay Bridgeman.

The team is sitting at 5-3, and ranked No. 10 going into this weekend. The Warriors started off the season strong with a win at home against Lincoln North Star. This was followed by a loss at Lincoln Northeast and a loss at Omaha Benson. The Warriors turned it around with three consecutive wins, against Northwest, Millard South and Bellevue East. The team closed out the year with a loss against Papillion-LaVista and a win against Bryan.

Through the first eight games, senior Marie Matthews has stepped up, leading the team in scoring with 12.2 points per game. She is also tied for second in rebounds per game with 4.4 rebounds per game. The team’s leading rebounder per game is senior Rachel Kaup with seven boards per game.

This weekend the Warriors will look to take the next step to qualifying for state. Bridgeman and Pickering should be crucial components within the Warriors.

“It was hard sitting on the bench watching my team play with out me, but I’m finally cleared,” Bridgeman said. “I’m really excited about getting back on the court and playing with my team.”

The team takes on Papillion-LaVista Friday, and Kearney on Saturday. Papio LaVista is 4-4 and ranked No. 7, and Kearney is 5-4 and unranked. The games are at 5:30 p.m. at Papillion-LaVista and at 5:15 p.m. at Kearney, respectively.

Follow Westside Wired @westsidewired on Twitter for live updates of the game. Make sure to check back next week for more coverage of the team.

 Game Predictions

Westside Wired predicts the Warriors will win 2 votes to 1 against Papillion-LaVista and 3 votes to 0 win against Kearney: The Warriors will be getting two starters back from injury. The Warriors have shown grit and determination in their games without Bridgeman and Pickering, but bringing back Bridgeman will give the Warriors a major post presence. The girls lost to Papillion-LaVista over break, but will get revenge tonight.