For the third time in as many years, the Westside girls basketball team will participate in the state tournament.

On Thursday, February 27, 2020, the Warriors hosted Millard North in the NSAA District A-3 final. And, after a 46-32 victory over the defending champion Mustangs, they punched their ticket to Pinnacle Bank Arena next week. Head coach Steve Clark said that teamwork has been the recipe for success in the program.

“They’re really good basketball players,” Clark said. “But they really believe in chemistry, and the trust the coaches and each other. It’s a pretty fun deal.”

Among the senior leadership, who have been to four straight district finals in their careers, is forward Jasmine McGinnis-Taylor. Along with qualifying for her third straight state tournament, she also eclipsed the 1,000 point mark for her career in Tuesday’s win. McGinnis-Taylor said that the accomplishment means a lot.

“It’s just been a goal I’ve been working towards,” McGinnis-Taylor said.

But, for McGinnis-Taylor and her teammates, the season isn’t done yet. Sophomore Adriana DiPrima said that her team will need to stay focused through the next week.

“We’re ready to get back there and dominate and win,” DiPrima said. “We’re just really high, but we know we need to keep our composure to play at our highest level and win.”

The Warriors have played five quadrant one teams this season, and they are 3-2 in those matchups this season. Clark said that the girls are excited to get another shot at the best in Lincoln.

“They’re excited. They’ve been playing well. The girls have taken turns stepping up,” Clark said. “We’ll get down there and see what happens.”

The NSAA Class A Girls Basketball Championships will be played at Lincoln’s Pinnacle Bank Arena from Thursday, March 5th to Saturday, March 7th. Follow Westside Wired on Twitter and Facebook for updates all weekend long. The opponent and time are TBD.