DALLAS — At Mansfield Timberview, teamwork is so much more than talk. The Lady Wolves live it.
Gone are great individual players like former McDonald’s All-American Chennedy Carter. And losing all five senior starters off last year’s team meant expectations dipped. But they’ve responded with a united effort.
"We really understand each other," senior forward Destiny Burton said. "The chemistry is way better than it’s ever been. We can feel like we’re actually sisters."
"This group right here. They need to stay together to survive," head coach Kit Martin said.
And they’re thriving, embracing the underdog role. The Wolves are extending the school's district win streak to a whopping 72 games, emerging as the area’s top-ranked 5A team.
"There’s nothing that feeds a competitive group and a team more than to be underdogs," Martin said.
You don’t have to be around this group very long to figure out their team chemistry is special. And one of the ways they keep it intact is by giving each other grief.
"You’re going to pay if you mess up," senior guard Nina Milliner said. "You’re not going to just sit there and let it go. You’re going to hear from somebody."
Martin says the good-natured ribbing goes on "pretty much daily, and you never know when it’s your turn to be picked on."
It’s their secret sauce, and above all else, it's fun.
"There’s no bad blood," says Milliner. "If somebody’s telling you it’s because we care. We want us to be great and do something and win."
Sophomore guard Desiree Wooten echoes that sentiment.
"We’re going to give you a hard time and criticism or whatever, but it’s not to hurt you, it’s to make you better."
So keep the barbs coming, it's obviously working.
Joe even recorded a LadyWolves TikTok in the studio:
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