FLOYDS KNOBS, Ind. (WDRB) -- The Floyd Central High School girls basketball program is reaching heights it hasn't seen in over a decade. 

First-year head coach Jerry Hickey knew he had some pieces to work with when he took over. But it may have been hard to imagine a 21-4 record coming off losing seasons in six of the last seven. 

"If you would have told me that we'd be 20-5 — or whatever our record is now — I would have actually laughed in your face," junior Elise Coleman said. "I did not expect this at all."

But that is where the Lady Highlanders stand after a 53-41 win Tuesday night over Jeffersonville in the sectional opener. That was Floyd Central's first sectional win in a dozen years.

Hickey had success in 10 years at Salem, including a state runner-up. He brought a more effective zone defense, a motion offense and a togetherness that has bonded this group. He said it wasn't too difficult to get this mostly veteran team to believe they could do big things. 

"It was probably easier than I thought, but I think some of that started in the summer," Hickey said. "Even though I was throwing a ton at them in a short amount of time, we had a pretty successful summer. I think we won 11 of our 12 games in the summer, something like that. So I think they started to get an idea of where we could be. They're smart kids. They know there's some talented basketball players here and they had some high expectations. They just needed a little push to get them over the hump and, hopefully, that's what we brought down here."

The players are feeling the excitement generated by their stellar season. 

"This year has been so great," Coleman said. "There's been so many people supporting us. On a school night in the middle of winter, in Seymour, Indiana, a bunch of our school was there to support us."

"It's been really fun so far," senior guard Samara Miller said. "Obviously, with the success, that makes it more fun. But I've been playing with some of these girls since the fourth grade when I was 10 years old. And to see it all come together and us having this great year, it's been a lot of fun." 

Next up for Floyd Central is a sectional semi-final at Seymour at 7:30 p.m. Friday. A win there sends them into a Saturday night final and a chance for the team's first sectional championship in 15 years. 

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