The “one game at a time” motto Nansemond-Suffolk Academy’s girls’ basketball team has stuck to this season will be a moot point after today’s state semifinals game against No. 3 Miller School of Albemarle (19-6).

Since the NSA girls’ basketball program switched to winter in 2003, this season marks its first trip to the state semis.

The No. 2 Lady Saints (21-2) have not played the Lady Mavericks this year, but NSA head coach Kim Aston did some scouting earlier in the season.

“They were ranked second at the time, we were ranked third, and so I wanted to see what they looked like,” she said. “They have one little guard that’s kind of quick, but their other two guards are just physical.”

She noted the physical guards play good defense and are able to push around their opponents. One of them is junior Lilly Riggleman, who averages 10 points per game.

The Lady Mavericks also have a significant post presence in the form of 6-foot-4-inch junior center Adrienne Darden, who also averages 10 points per game.

Aston acknowledged the threat these two players pose. But, she said, “I think we’ll just play our regular defense that we typically play.”

Naturally, Aston expects Lady Saints sophomore center Caroline Hogg, who is 6-feet-3-inches tall, to be matched up against Darden.

“Hopefully (Caroline) doesn’t get pushed around by her, but Caylin (Harris) is more physical, so if we need to go with another post player, we definitely have somebody else we can go with,” Aston said.

The combination of Hogg and Harris, a junior forward/center, has proven very effective for NSA lately.

On offense, Aston hopes to see more of the same from her team, with points coming from a variety of players, including her post players.

“We play much better when we distribute the ball evenly, so I think we’ll just be looking to do the same thing we’ve been doing,” Aston said.

Tip-off for the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division II state semifinal between NSA and Miller is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. today at St. Anne’s-Belfield School in Charlottesville.