In today’s world of basketball there are many things beneficial and crucial to team success but perhaps none more so than the coveted item of experience.

Experience can come in many forms and can create many situations turning predominately underclassmen teams into perennial powerhouses while witnessing height challenged teams such as the 2015-2016 Lady Tigers end just one game short of the big dance. Experience is one of the more coveted and crucial aspects of basketball and while this year’s Lady Tiger squad may not have added any height while loosing veteran leadership, they have taped into the experience they do currently yield, and it has shown as of late.

While ADM had an inauspicious start to the season they’re last four match ups have been quite successful winners of 3 out of their last four games outscoring their opponents 197-172. A lot of that has been taping into the upperclassmen experience from the likes of seniors Allie Cook and Sydney Bertman, and even junior Sydney Canney.

While seniors Allie Cook and Sydney Bertman have had the title of upperclassmen for a year now, the role has just been bestowed upon Canney for the first time this year in her junior season. In her first time on the varsity stage last season Sydney was the skillful underclassmen who averaged just over 6 points per game and coming away with 48 steals, looking up to the upperclassmen for advice. Now the script has flipped for Canney as she finds herself on the other end, now the seasoned veteran, something that Canney told Raccoon Valley Radio is something she’s still adjusting to.

“It’s hard for me to get into it actually because I still feel like I’m an underclassmen but I have younger people under me so I think I need to work on being more of a leader and I feel it like when I’m on the court and I have to talk and things like that. It’s hard to get used to but I’m doing it,” explained Canney.

While Sydney Canney may not light up the stat sheets she has proven to be a crucial component for the Lady Tigers this season accounting for 4.2 points per game and picking up right where she left on in the steals category notching 10 on the season so far. The junior has undoubtedly been one of the hardest working individuals for ADM who look to utilize that and her experience today as the Lady Tigers are back in action for a home conference contest against the Carlisle Wildcats. Girls game tips off the conference twin bill beginning at 6:00 pm but you can catch the action starting with pregame coverage at 5:45 on K107.9 FM and streamed online at raccoonvalleyradio.com.