The first round of Sectionals for girls basketball was this past Tuesday, where East defeated Bloomington South with a final score of 33-28. Juniors Addy Galarno and Britney Ballard led the team, scoring ten points each.

East moves on in the tournament to face the 5-17 Bloomington North Cougars. The two teams faced off at East earlier in the regular season and East came out with a 60-35 victory. East looks to have similar success in this upcoming game.

East and Bloomington North will tip off at 6 p.m. on Friday, February 3. After the conclusion of this game, crosstown rival Columbus North will face East Central at 7:30 p.m. The winners of these two games will face off on Saturday, February 4 at 7:30 p.m.

East junior guard, Addy Galarno, looks to help lead the team due to her experience. Galarno is playing in her third basketball Sectional.

Q: How do you prepare before each game by yourself?
A: “I usually listen to music and get in the right mindset for the game.”

Q: How have you been preparing differently now that the state tournament is starting?
A: “We have been starting to practice harder and focus more on the teams that we will play. We prepare just like it is any other game.”

Q: What did you learn from the first game against Bloomington North that will help you this time around?
A: “From playing Bloomington North previously in the season we learned that we have to come out and play with energy. No game is an easy win in Sectionals. We learned that offenses we need to run in order to break down their defense.”