The South Loup Lady Bobcats took on the 2021-22 season and worked to build confidence in their game - and the year-end numbers reflect that.

The totals listed below are a reflection of a team that worked hard to be resilient and work together.

In thinking of the year as a whole, coach Abe Hinman said that the biggest growing point for the Bobcats was the confidence factor.

“I think the confidence grew a ton by the end of the year,” he said. “I also think selflessness grew tremendously. They figured out early on that it was going to take a collective effort in order to be successful.”

The Lady Bobcats outworked their opponents in a number of categories.

South Loup dominated their opponents on the boards, in the assists column and were stealthy with their steals.

Individually, there were a couple of new marks set this season.

Taylor Ross ripped down 19 rebounds in one game this season to become the new record holder for the Lady Bobcats.

In the assists column, Bryn Schwarz finished the season with 84. The previous record for assists in a season was 82 and held by Megan Donegan.

That selflessness, Hinman said, is part of the reason the girls were so successful in their 18-5 campaign this season.

In the off season, the Bobcats will have a few things to figure out in order to be ready for next year.

Hinman said that ultimately, the success of the team will depend on the girls.

“This summer, the girls will need to continue to improve in all facets of the game,” he said. “Plugging in the holes left by departing seniors is always interesting and will need to take place early to speed up the process of building chemistry.”

While there is a lot of experience returning to the court next year, the Bobcats hope to continue to build on the momentum and culture they created this season into upcoming years.

“Seasons build on each other and next year will be no different,” Hinman said.

And as these Bobcats continue to build, there’s a few things their coach hopes they take with them when they step off the court- no matter how young or old they are.

“Grit, determination and perseverance,” Hinman said. “Basketball is a grind. There is a ton of running and on top of that, it’s a very physical sport. You have to show up day in and day out to be successful.”