Speed, athleticism and leadership are the key ingredients for the Griffin Lady Bears basketball team to do well this season, according to Griffin head coach June Barrow.

The team lost two senior starters in Christian Williams and Jessica Wilson, but will return three starters in seniors Tekeriya Greer and Tedra Alford and junior Aneesah Head. Greer is coming off knee surgery and Alford returns to the court after starring for the Lady Bears on the softball diamond earlier in the year. The Lady Bears were a last-second rebound basket by Northside-Warner Robins from advancing to the girls state basketball tournament last season.

“Tekeriya has been working really hard since her surgery and I hope she’ll continue that hard work throughout the season,” Barrow said. “Tedra is a good athlete and I expect her to contribute a lot to the program this year.”

Barrow said she also believes her crew of freshmen players will contribute to the team this year.

“The freshmen we have on the team are really good - they’re athletic and competitive,” she said. “They are just inexperienced right now. I believe they will complement us very well.”

Barrow admitted she is counting on most of her freshmen stepping up and playing well this season. She said they had a good summer of camp, but there is still much work to do before the season starts Dec. 2 at home against Stockbridge. Right now, Barrow said she is looking for one of her players to be that positive leader on the court, in the classroom and off campus who will lead the way for the Lady Bears to have a great season. Last season, Griffin went 10-2 in its subregion and Barrow hopes the team can repeat that feat, if not do better, this season.

“I am expecting my girls to be coachable and to keep their composure,” she said. “They’ve got to buy into the hard work. That’s the only way we will be successful is through the hard work.”

Barrow said with the speed Griffin has at the guard position, the Lady Bears will most likely play a 2-3 zone trap. If foul problems persist in games, they will also go with man-to-man defense. Barrow stressed to her team that good defense will win games for them this season.

“Offense is fine, but it’s defense that wins games,” she said

Griffin will play its annual Green and Gold game this Saturday, the girls tipping off at 11 a.m. to be followed by the Griffin High boys basketball team at 12:30 p.m.