Buffalo player a game closer to goal

A trip to the Class 4A state tournament was the cherry on top of a lalapalooza of a season for the Buffalo girls' basketball team last year.

Sure, they lost to eventual champion Hopkins in the quarterfinals, but the experience proved to be an appetizer for the Mississippi 8 Conference champion Bison, who are 24-4 and one game away from their second state tournament appearance in a row.

Staff writer Jim Paulsen talked with senior guard Alexa Thielman about the team.

Q So far, so good. Talk about how this season has gone.

A It's gone really well. We've really been able to keep rolling off of last year. We've kept the same philosophy of working together as a team and doing things the way we like to do it.

Q What have you improved upon from last year?

A We're really functioning well as a team. As a group, we're getting out and running the floor. We feel like we're ready to take the next step.

Q How much did last season whet your appetite for this year?

A A lot. We all worked so hard in the offseason. We went to a lot of different camps to improve our skills. And we've rebuilt the chemistry we had last year.

Q What are your strengths on the court?

A I like to find open teammates and get them the ball. And I like playing defense and frustrating other teams. I try to get in their heads and get them off their game.

Q For a lot of players, playing defense is too much about hard work. How do you approach it?

A Defense is work, but that's what I like the most about it. Your defense is a reflection of how hard you work. It's our foundation.

Q What is Buffalo's defensive personality?

A We like talking and communicating with each other on defense.

Q Is there a defensive drill that you do in practice that really motivates the team?

A We have one drill where we have to stop the dribbler from getting into the lane and we can't use our hands. We hold them behind our backs. You have to stay in front of the dribbler.

Q That could get pretty physical.

A It does. There's a lot of contact.

Q You and center Emily Spier are the offensive leaders of this team. How well do you complement each other?

A We work really well together. We stay after practice all the time and work in passing the ball into the post and kicking it back out. We kind of have a sixth sense about where the other one is going to be.

Q It has to be nice to play with a post player of her caliber

A It is. She really draws a lot of attention. She's a good, aggressive player.

Q Buffalo plays St. Michael-Albertville for the Section 8, 4A championship Friday. You've beaten them twice this year. What does that do for your confidence?

A We feel like we're the better team. We know it will be a big game, but we think if we play our game, we'll win. But you never know. You have to go out and be confident.

Q Any butterflies?

A I haven't reached the nervous stage yet, but I'm guessing it will click in pretty soon.

JIM PAULSEN