There are a few similarities between this year’s Adel-Desoto-Minburn Tigers boys and girls basketball teams. One of the glaring ones is the loss of graduated players from last year’s squad. Arguably the best all-around talent lost from last year’s ADM girls basketball team was Sydney Bertman. Bertman, a first-team All-Raccoon River Conference performer, was ADM’s leader in points scored, rebounds, assists, and blocks. She also holds 18 total records for ADM girls basketball dating back to 2006.

ADM girls basketball coach Rick Dillinger admits there’ll be some growing pains adjusting to not having Bertman on the floor. “The kids, I think, overly looked for Sydney (Bertman) at times,” Dillinger said, “We’re seeing kids do things that I didn’t see them do last year. We got some kids shooting the ball who passed up shots. We have some who are penetrating (the lane) with the ball and kicking or penetrating and scoring. If we get some confidence early, I think some good things can happen.”

Life without Sydney Bertman begins Monday as the ADM girls basketball team opens the season on the road against the Norwalk Warriors. Catch live play by play of ADM girls and boys basketball games this winter on True Country, K 107.9.