All the faces are going to stay the same for Tahlequah girls basketball, but the 2025-’26 season will bring a change.
Last season, the Lady Tigers had five new starting players in their roster after a big senior class graduated. However, this season, the Lady Tigers have five returning players and four starters to lead the team.
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“I expect us to be ready from the go, rather than taking nine or 10 games to find our identity,” THS coach David Qualls said.
After working together last season, the players think the team’s chemistry has improved.
“I think we are a lot closer,” junior Lauren Stephens said. “We have a whole year under our belts. Last year wasn’t the best year, but I think we just grew as a team, and I think we’re all really close and ready for this year.”
Last year, Carsyn Gilbert, Lakyn Adams, Stephens, Riley Dotson and Moe Wilson were all first-time starters. This year, those players return — minus Dotson — and are set to be joined by sophomore Raylee McCarter.
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McCarter didn’t start last season for the Lady Tigers, but did get a lot of time as the first off the bench her freshman year.
The Lady Tigers are going to miss their defensive spark from Dotson, but are set to have a well-rounded group of players. Adams looks to take back over at point guard after being the youngest to start under Qualls last season as a sophomore.
Gilbert and Wilson will occupy the role of guards. Gilbert brings in a mix of 3-point shooting and driving-and-slashing abilities to score under the basket. Wilson returns this season as a deep threat and will likely lead the Lady Tigers defense.
Down low, McCarter and Stephens are going to man the post positions, thanks to their height. Stephens is the top returning rebounder for the Lady Tigers and also a top scoring option. After playing well off the bench, McCarter will get more minutes to flash her rebounding and offensive skills.
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“The thing about last year, it took a while to define our roles,” Qualls said. “Going into this year, they have an idea what their roles are. Carysn and Lakyn were our top scorers last year and they can go score in versatile ways. We expect big things from Lauren, who averaged around 8.5 points per game and 8.5 rebounds. Then Raylee will give us another look with double bigs, two 6-footers inside.”
All around, the Lady Tigers look like they are going to be a good team from beyond the 3-point arc. All three guards are liable to get hot from deep, and even McCarter and Stephens had games with more than one 3-pointer last season.
On top of the starters, Alayna Stopp will come of the bench for the Lady Tigers and can hit a 3-pointer.
“That is a big focus for us,” Qualls said. “We really challenge Raylee and Lauren to look to shoot the 3-ball this year. If you can have five girls on the court who can shoot, it can open up a lot on the defensive end.”
The Lady Tigers officially open the season Tuesday, Dec. 2, at home vs. the Stilwell Indians.
