Lady Golden Rams Coach Joe Lucchino

"They committed themselves to playing the game. They enjoy playing the game," states Highlands girls' basketball Coach Joe Lucchino, describing his team. "They took it upon themselves to join a basketball team back in seventh grade, when I wasn't there, and they've just stuck to it."

The Lady Golden Rams charged to a 3 and 1 early December record, and the coach attributes it to his core. "We have a good group of seniors this year…this is the group of eighth graders I coached that are now seniors. We know each other very well…six "survivors" from that eighth grade team," Lucchino notes.

"And I have to say they ARE survivors. They're good kids, they've worked real hard for me over the last five years…it's sort of difficult because you have [these] six girls and you only have five spots, so trying to put that lineup together all the time is not always easy with the caliber of player we have in that group."

The group's persistence explains the survivor description, according to the coach. "They've steadily improved…to look at them at that time [eighth grade] and see them play now, it gives me a great deal of satisfaction to see how they have improved…they've done an excellent job of preparing themselves for this time in their careers."

"We really have a difficult schedule this year, but we're looking to be up for the challenge and if things go well and the girls study and know what they're doing, we'll do fine." Joe Lucchino details the reality that shows in his team of survivors in the video at Alle-Kiski Today Online.