Success for the Upper Perkiomen girls basketball team will not focus on losses, according to head coach Greg Swavely.

                He said the main yardstick moving forward will be making sure the players improve each day.  "We go over the fundamentals in practice," Swavely said. "The goals is to make the girls solid basketball players. Nobody wants to win more than them. But they have to learn to win first."

                Playing with only one senior and starting two ninth graders, the Indians have opened their season with five consecutive losses. The most competitive effort came in a 19-point loss to Schuylkill Valley on the initial weekend of the season.

                "The girls will continue to work hard and hope for better days," Swavely said on Dec. 15 following a non-league 51-7 loss to visiting Brandywine Heights. "Right now, we're young and inexperienced. We're going to take our licks. This has been a tough process; well nothing in life worth doing is easy." 

                Offense has been scarce for Upper Perkiomen (0-2 PAC, 0-6 overall) which is averaging 16 points per game. 

                "We've got to find a way to play together," said Sierra Kelly, a junior forward. "We're all at different levels."

                Upper Perkiomen's best offensive performance came in a 45-26 loss to Schuylkill Valley in the consolation game of the Tulpehocken Tip-Off Tournament. Sophomore Kaitlyn Mundy scored a game-high 21 points.

                "We had a taste of what we could do in that game," said Kelly, who sat out the game with a head injury. "We need to take it from there."

                According to Swavely, his team displayed their offensive ability, but the players need to be more consistent. 

                "We played real good," Swavely said. "The girls left it all on the court."

                The Indians need to deliver higher level of aggression during the game, according to Kelly. She said they need to do a better job working together.

                According to Swavely, the team goes over its offensive drills in practice. Kelly, who scored two points and pulled down six rebounds against Brandywine Heights, said the unit perform well in practice.

                "We play really well and correct our errors," she said. "The funny thing is that when we get in a game and face a real defense, everyone gets jumpy. We have to figure out a way to get past that."

                Against the Bullets, Upper Perkiomen started Kelly – a forward – and four guards: junior Erika Boyer, Mundy and freshmen Kelsey Bernhart and Erika Fabian.

                Though the team has not named a specific point guard, Mundy has been asked the fulfill most of the ball handling responsibilities, according to Swavely.

                "It's the most important positon on the floor," the coach said.

                On Friday, Dec. 16, the Indians opened their Pioneer Athletic Conference schedule with a 51-13 road loss to Phoenixville. Mundy finished the game with eight points and Kelly added five points.

                Mundy scored a team-high 13 points in a 67-22 loss to visiting Upper Merion on Tuesday.

                "There are no off nights in the Pioneer Athletic Conference," the coach said.