EDWARDSVILLE - Gabby Cook has taken on a key role as point guard for the Edwardsville girls basketball team as the Tigers get ready for the Highland Tournament and the all-important stretch run of the season in February.
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On Jan. 14, Cook scored six points in a 62-21 win over Belleville West, but the Tigers lost a rematch to Alton on the road 48-35 two nights later. Edwardsville has now won three of its last out to go to 9-7 on the season.
Cook has made a big contribution to the Tigers, and has averaged 3.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game, also adding seven assists and two steals along the way. In her postgame interview after the win over the Maroons, Cook sounded very positive about the direction of the Tigers.
Gabby is a Spencer Homes Female Athlete Of The Month for the Tigers.
"I'm pretty happy with everything," Cook said. "I think we're really gelling right now, and only up from here."
West has a very young team, but the Tigers were hitting on all cylinders well against the Maroons.
"It's tough to play anybody," Cook said, "and I think we did really well as a team, working together, communicating more, of course, and I think just overall, we all played together, and it really helped."
Cook also felt the Tigers have played well since the end of the Visitation Christmas Tournament.
"The end of that was a little rocky for us." Cook said, as the Tigers won their opener, but lost three straight after that. to finish eighth, "but we bounced back. We won our last three before heading to Alton on Thursday, and then, the Highland Tournament. We're only hoping for good things from that, and I really think we're in a good spot right now."
Cook was looking ahead to the Alton game, as well as the Highland Tournament.
"Yeah, I'm excited," Cook said. "It's always fun to play Alton; they're a really good team, really good chemistry together. So, I think we'll do what we can, and play together, we'll have a good shot."
She's also feeling optimistic about the remainder of the campaign ahead as the Tigers prepare for the IHSA Class 4A playoffs at the end of February and the beginning of March.
"I think we can give anybody a run," Cook said. "I think we're one of the best in the (Southwestern) conference, and we've just got to keep working together, find our roles on the team, and really just hone in on that. We have to keep working."
