In preparation for the Arctic Winter Games, the recently selected girls' basketball team are playing in the Whitehorse Women's Basketball League, which has two games every Sunday night at Vanier Catholic Secondary School.

Last Sunday, the team improved their record, since final selections were made at the end of November, to 2-0 with a narrow 45-43 victory over Takhini Gas.

The team will also take part in a tri-provincial tournament, which is being held in Edmonton in February.

The tournament will feature a number of teams from Saskatchewan, Alberta and B.C.

'I have never been to this tournament before, so I am not sure what to expect,' said Diedre Davidson, coach of the girls' Arctic Winter Games team. 'Often what happens when we go out (to participate in an Outside tournament) because we don't get enough game time and playing time and because of our population, we don't fare as well, especially against the western teams, so with this being a high school tournament, I think we will have a decent shot at doing well and there is going to be good basketball regardless.'

Players on the girls' Arctic Winter Games team practice two times a week, but because this is basketball season they also play at the high school level as well.

This is Davidson's first time coaching the Arctic Winter Games team. She said the goal for any coach and team is to make it to the gold medal game.

'Obviously the end goal for any team is to take home the gold,' Davidson said. 'We have a lot of competition in the Arctic Winter Games especially with Alaskan teams, so I think it will be a tight battle with the Alaskan teams and it is always a tight battle with the Northwest Territories teams as well, so I think definitely to at least make silver, but the hope is for gold.'

She said other goals for the team include staying injury-free and improving their overall game play, such as rebounding, shooting and tenacity, which is what the team is currently working on in practice.

Davidson thinks there are a lot of advantages for the team to play in the women's league.

'It gives the girls an opportunity to play as a team,' she said. 'For the Arctic Winter Games team, I think it is a good opportunity for them to practice the plays that we are starting to use and practice their defence and learn how to play with each other as a team because there are players from all the three separate schools. Just getting any game time is a big help.'

She said the team played okay on Sunday.

'They still have a lot to learn and because we are just starting they are starting to learn to play together,' Davidson said. 'You can tell the girls who have played together in high school; they have the knowledge of where to expect their player to move, so that is kind of what we will have to build on is awareness of your teammates on the floor.'

Davidson said the team is improving though and she is confident about their chances heading into the Arctic Winter Games.

'They are a great bunch of girls, I think that they have enough drive and a good skill set to do quite well at the Arctic Winter Games,' she said. 'This is a really strong team.'

Noria Deacon scored the most points for the Arctic Winter Games team in Sunday's game with 15 and Sarah Crane finished with 20 points for Takhini Gas.

The other game in the Whitehorse Women's Basketball League on Sunday was between Feature Foods and Kopper Kweens. Feature Foods won the game 43-38 and their top-scorer was Annette Krause with 12 points, while Megan Fraser led the way for Kopper Kweens with 10 in the loss.