The Lady Bulldogs basketball team begins another season in which the team looks to continue to be a premier team in the area.

King’s Fork High School starts the 2018-2019 season coming off of a state semifinal appearance. In the past three seasons, the Lady Bulldogs have finished among the last four teams in the state playoffs. They were also co-winners of the Southeastern District last season. Most of the players of those teams the last two seasons have graduated, but the Lady Bulldogs feel good about what they have returning and their ability to continue to compete at a high level.

“We have lost the majority from those teams, but I have a few girls returning who were a part of those journeys,” Coach Maurice Fofana said. “It won’t be a surprise to us of how good we can be, but we may surprise others outside of our building.”

The Lady Bulldogs return the reigning Southeastern District Player of the Year in Nylah Young. Young, who is also the reigning Suffolk News-Herald Winter Female Player of the Year, will be in her senior season. She and Neecole Brown will be the two seniors looked to for leadership of the team. Both ladies played vital roles in the Lady Bulldogs’ past couple of seasons, and Fofana is excited about the leadership roles they have grown into for this season. Alexis Banks and Alexis Henderson add experience as well.

“There’s probably no other two kids I would pick right now to lead us,” Fofana said of Young and Brown. “They are great. They have a lot of input on the things we are doing, and I’m excited about what we are going to be. They are helping the younger girls, and they’ve been receptive.”

King’s Fork wants to be playing in March once again, even if they may not be one of the favorites as they have been in recent seasons.

“We want to compete as hard as we can and let the chips fall where they may,” Fofana said. “If we are there in March, then great; if not, we gave it all that we had.”

King’s Fork will host Indian River High School at 7 p.m. Friday.