Even though the Montgomery County girls basketball team has new uniforms this winter, its mission remains the same.

The Wildcats hope to turn in with another successful season. They finished with winning records in each of the last six years and have captured four straight Eastern Missouri Conference titles.

“We don’t want to look too far ahead,” MCHS coach Joe Basinger said. “We want to take it one day at a time, one game at a time. But I have high expectations for this group. I think there’s a world of potential here. They enjoy playing together.”

MCHS’ 2023-24 season got off to a blazing start on Nov. 17 after cruising past the Sullivan Eagles 44-21 in its season opener on the road. The Wildcats stormed to a 10-0 in the first quarter en route to their eighth straight season-opening victory.

The Wildcats return eight players from last year’s team that finished 22-7 with EMO and district championships, including five seniors – Malia Rodgers, Maddy Queathem, Olivia Shaw, Madi Polston and Claire Cobb. A year ago, Rodgers was the team’s leading scorer with 448 points and earned all-state and all-conference honors, Queathem broke the school mark for most 3-pointers in a game, season and career and Shaw was the team’s top rebounder with 266.

“I’ve been around these kids for eight years now,” said Basinger, who returns for his eighth season as coach. “It’s funny because we have a lot of banter back and forth. We have a great relationship. It’s been a ride and I hope we continue the ride.”

Against Sullivan, Queathem scored 11 points off the bench, Rodgers finished with 10 and Shaw scored four before fouling out with 2:36 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Juniors Aliviah Fischer, Miley Rieke and Karla Gonzalez also return to the varsity this year.

Basinger said he has high hopes for Fischer, who scored six points off the bench against Sullivan and played a key role on the inside when Shaw was in foul trouble.

“Aliviah is the one who played extremely well for us all summer,” Basinger said. “She’s such a strong physical presence. She’s hard to move, she gets going downhill, she’s tough and she’s a smart basketball player.”

Freshmen Aubrey Janes and Reese Hill round out the varsity roster. They each scored six points against Sullivan. Last year, they helped the Montgomery County Middle School girls basketball team win 11 games.

“They stayed within themselves and what we’re asking them to do,” Basinger said. “Aubrey is a kid who can do a lot of things with the basketball in her hands. She worked pretty hard in her game this summer. She played well in the jamboree (at Fatima) and played well again against Sullivan. Reese is like a little fireplug we could put out there. She’s so twitchy and athletic. She’s quick, she’s fast and she’s strong. She runs the floor well. She’s not trying to do too much.”

Bruce Powers is the Wildcats’ new assistant coach this year.

MCHS is back in action at 6 p.m. on Nov. 27, when it faces the Bowling Green Bobcats in a first-round game at the Montgomery County Invitational Tournament. The Wildcats are the top seed in the eight-team tournament.

MCHS’ first EMO game will be on Dec. 11 against Silex on the road. The Wildcats have won 41 straight conference games.

Also on the Wildcats’ schedule is a game against Moberly in the Moberly Area Community College Shootout on Dec. 30 and a contest against Southern Boone on Jan. 6 at the Sophie Cunningham Classic, which will be held at Columbia College.