Despite an underwhelming start to the season that has left Wallace Community College’s Lady Patriots (2-9) well below .500, head coach April Harper knows there is still a lot of season left to be played.

The Lady Patriots begin Alabama Community College Conference play Jan. 4 at Wallace Community College-Hanceville.

“The challenge for conference [play] is you want to be there in the end, especially when your team has worked tirelessly for months to get there,” Harper said. “So, every game is a fight to get to the conference tournament, and there it’s anybody’s game.”

She feels her team is up for the challenge of playing well in ACCC play, especially after a tough non-conference slate that has left the Patriots battle tested.

“We have played more than our share of games to prepare for conference,” Harper said. “However, due to injuries and a young team, and only two returning sophomores , the task can be quite challenging.”

The Lady Patriots are currently in the midst of a three game losing streak, but arguably are playing some of their best basketball of the season. After starting the year 0-5, Wallace just finished a stretch where the Lady Patriots went 2-4, including a six-point loss at Selma University Dec. 7.

After seven straight home games to begin the season, the Patriots have played four consecutive road contests. Their next games will be in the Wallace Community College-Hanceville tournament Jan. 3.

Harper said her team strives for excellence every day, on and off the floor, so there are always places they can improve.

“We are hoping to improve on the simple things, such as rebounding, boxing out, playing great defense, hustling every ball , making your free throws, and consistently getting that from every athlete on the team,” Harper said.

Despite having a less than stellar record at this point of the season, several Lady Patriots are having fantastic individual seasons.

Wallace is led in scoring by forward Jameneshia Caver, who averages 14.7 points per game and 8.5 rebounds per game. Caver ranks third in the Alabama Community College Conference in scoring and fifth in rebounding. Takeela Mixon is 23rd in the conference, averaging 9.3 points per game.

Wallace has not been able to find other consistent scorers behind Caver and Mixon though. The Patriots are eleventh out of 13 teams in ACCC play in shooting percentage, shooting 32.2 percent from the field. The Patriots are last in ACCC play in three-point percentage, shooting only 17.3 percent from behind the arch.