Lady Tigers' hoop season begins Friday at Mtn. View

The Mountain Home Lady Tigers open their 2009-2010 girls basketball season with weekend games against Mountain View and Timberline.

Mountain Home Lady Tiger varsity basketball coach Brent Keener was pretty well pleased with the numbers that turned out for the high school girls basketball this year.

"Not too bad a turnout. For nine through 12 we had 41 girls, so just enough to make four teams. It would be nice to have a few more, but at least we can field four teams, and that's good."

Coach Keener has 10 girls on his varsity squad, many of them back from last year's team that finished third at District, making the 4A State Tournament where they went out in two games.

"We've got seven seniors on the varsity and three underclassmen, so I'm carrying 10 right now, but a lot of returners."

With that much talent back, Keener is looking at his Lady Tigers as one of the three best teams in the state at the 4A level.

"I would hope our aspirations are a little higher this year, instead of just getting there (to state), because I honestly think for the first time that I've been here that we can contend for a state title.

"We've got the favorites -- one of them being Middleton in our conference. They're extremely tough. I think we match up with Middleton really well.

"Bonneville's going to be a favorite, obviously," the coach added. "They owned it last year and return a lot, and Jerome (too), but I think we're right up there with them."

The Lady Tigers open Friday night at Mountain View, and play Timberline at home on Saturday night.

"Our schedule at the beginning is pretty brutal, but it's going to be good," the Lady Tigers' coach added. "We've got the two 5As, Mountain View and Timberline, and we've got Jerome and Middleton early, so it'll be a good test."