The 2023-2024 season didn’t end like the Oakdale High School girls basketball team wanted.

The loss to Arcadia in the Non-select Division III final has served as a springboard for the 2024-2025 season as the Warriors try to forge a path back to the final for a third consecutive season.

“Oh man, they’re rolling,” head coach Renotta Edwards said. “They know exactly what the mission is. They want redemption.

“Losing in a state championship game did something to them. They’ve been working every day since then to try to get back to where we were and hopefully to be able to just accomplish that.”

The Warriors have won 12 of their last 13 games and occupy the No. 3 spot in the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Non-select Division III power ratings. Edwards has enjoyed watching the team grow over the last few years and feels they have more untapped potential.

“I feel like the girls are competing at a high level,” Edwards said. “And we’re not peaking yet. I feel like we haven’t played our best basketball, which is a great thing. I want to see us peaking in the playoffs. That’s every coach’s dream.”

The Warriors still employ their steadfast defense. In line with the last two seasons, the Warriors have kept the pressure on opponents, allowing 40.4 points a game, slightly more than last season’s 40.2 and the state championship team of two seasons ago (39.1).

“Defense wins games, in my opinion,” Edwards said. “At the end of the day, if you get after people, and you play great defense … we have a great chance of winning every single game that we play.

“Defense is our priority. We’re going to compete on the defensive end, and whenever we get out of the offense, that’s fine. We’ll live with it.”

And they have three players who have started in both championship games in seniors Emani Young and Kaylee Bradley and junior Jolie West. Young was the star of the Warriors’ championship run in 2022-2023 and almost averages a double-double with 19 points and 9.5 rebounds a game. Bradley (12.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and West (8 ppg, 6.5 rpg) averaged a combined 20.8 points and 13 rebounds a game.

But the Warriors had to change a few faces this season, namely finding replacements for two seniors lost to graduation — point guard Akeelah Hobson and forward Chloe Bradley, increasing the role of Young, West and Bradley.

“That’s a big deal, losing your starting point guard, your four-year starter, that hurts,” Edwards said. “But it also gave Kaylee, Jolie and Emani more opportunities. I feel like we’re playing faster. We’re scoring more. They’re everything. They have the green light.”

The Warriors have changed up the offense, too, focusing on an all-guard lineup.

“Traditionally we have played three guards and a four and a five,” Edwards said. “We’re basically playing all guards, so it’s such a transition for them just believing in themselves more and kind of buying in and trusting their talent.

“Everybody had to step up, and I think they’re doing a wonderful job.”

The Warriors have height in 5-foot-10 freshman starter Peyton Jones (10 ppg, 5.5 rpg) and 6-foot sophomore Razyhna Hayward (8 ppg), who comes off the bench.

“I always think of Kevin Durant,” Edwards said. “He is 6-11, but most people say 7-foot tall. Just because you’re tall, you don’t have to be a post player. The way the game is going now, it is trending towards just basically playing guards.

“Those girls are athletic, and they’re long, very, very long. That helps us.”