If the summer basketball tournament is any indication, the Moffat County High School girls team might want the season to start sooner.

The high school was the host for a five-team tournament Friday, featuring teams from Steamboat Springs, Hayden, Rangely, Buena Vista and Wasatch.

Although it was just a mini camp, Moffat County came out strong.

The team defeated Steamboat Springs, 48-31, in its first game and ousted Rangely, 56-32, in the second.

Coach Craig Mortensen said he saw some encouraging signs during the team's Friday tune-up.

"We know how it's all going to work out, we just need to know what to work on," he said. "This is a young team, there's still a ways to go."

Last year, the team fielded six seniors.

Mortensen said losing the seniors stings, but his new team was equally exciting.

"There are a couple of returning players - a few up from the JV team," he said. "There are some upperclassmen who logged some minutes on the team last year coming back."

With only three seniors on the team, the Bulldogs look younger for next year.

"The cool thing about this year's team is they are enthusiastic," Mortensen said. "They want to play, and they want to get better.

"They are putting in the effort to get better."

What would take the pressure off the team's loss of their seniors would be a healthy season from senior Lindsey Yoast.

"She was hurt a lot last year," Mortensen said. "Getting her back will be big for us."

Many of the potential varsity players logged minutes on the JV court.

"During this tournament, we're trying to divide them up so they can get more playing time," Mortensen said. "We've been playing a lot of three-on-three so the girls can get in more touches."

Mortensen said the team's roster is not set.

"We're just kind of feeling everything out," he said. "There are always some surprises."

Most of the practices will be in June.

"This year, we're cutting back on the tournaments and camps," he said.

The team will travel to Adams State College later in the summer for its lone basketball camp.

As a result of having a younger team, Mortensen will have more practices in the gym.

"They need that extra time to work on the fundamentals," he said. "They need to shoot, shoot and shoot. They need to work on their shooting accuracy."

Amanda Snyder, a senior point guard, reiterated what her coach stressed.

"It's a little different this summer," she said. "We are only going to one basketball camp, and I think we're going to stay in our gym more and practice the fundamentals."

Snyder said she has a couple of things to work on before the season starts.

"I definitely need to work on my ball-handling," she said. "As a team, we need to work on ball-handling and post passing."

Post passing will become important as the year starts, Snyder said, because of the team's style of play.

"We have a little more of a post game this year," Snyder said. "We can take it inside more and penetrate."

Having a team able to dominate in the paint has Snyder ready for the season, she said.

"I'm excited for this year," she said. "I love this team."

Ben Bulkeley can be reached at 875-1795 or bbulkeley@craigdailypress.com.