The new calendar year brings a sense of optimism to the Phoenix Girls' Basketball program.

It's not that the final month of 2022 was bad. The Pirates put together a 7-4 record in non-conference play. They also received contributions from a variety of players.

Still, they know it could have been better. And healthier!

PHS played nearly the entire pre-season without Kyla Potratz. While the senior guard is the team's best defender and helps keep the Pirates in a flow on offense. Potratz spent most of the month rehabbing an ankle injury and is expected back in early January.

Classmate Morgan James missed time late in December with her own ankle injury. James tops the team in rebounding and is among the scoring leaders. Like Potratz, she'll be back the first week of January.

With the seniors on the sidelines, Phoenix looked to Ruby Rector, Anabell Delgado and Makynna Nolan to pick up the load on both ends of the court. Both Delgado and Nolan had their best scoring games to close out December while Rector directed things on both ends of the court in James' absence.

Senior Brooke McConnell and sophomores Ahlam Mohamud and Mae Woodward all contributed as part-time starters and will be counted on for regular minutes during the Skyline Conference season.