The senior girl’s basketball team has been a bright-spot among BIC athletics recently, earning bids to the Regional tournament for three years in a row. After three successful seasons, the girls are hoping to continue on their success of the past and earn a spot in the State Tournament. One senior center, Josephine Hanneken, has been a tremendous part of the success the team has earned as of late.

The tall and notably calm Hanneken is known as a player who hustles on the court. She shows grit when she fights for every rebound and puts in the tough work on defense. She has shown her teammates that she can be a reliable player to share the court with, which is an important trait to have on your side as the team looks to beat Izard County Consolidated in the first round of the Regional Tournament on Thursday.

Basketball has brought many great memories to Hanneken. One of her favorite events on the team was the Blue and Gray game of 2025. “It was a lot of fun knowing all of those kids were there to cheer on and support me and my girls,” Hanneken said. One of her personal favorite pastimes with the girls is pre-practice talks in the locker room. “ I know we are called a team but it’s more of a sisterhood. I have so many new friendships since being on the team, and I know they will last,” said Hanneken.

Basketball coach, Trevor Matheny, has taught the girls many useful lessons on and off the court. Josephine has learned a great deal with Coach Matheny through the years he has coached. “He has taught me things I use everyday, like how I need confidence when I move the ball down the court, when I speak in my classes, and how I carry myself. The biggest thing I have learned from him is how to defend better and take care of the basketball through drills,” said Hanneken. 

Hanneken has been an important part of Lady Mustangs basketball since her 7th grade year, but as time has passed, she is now a player the younger girls look up to. “Seeing her play and seeing how she knows so much about the sport is really  inspiring. You can see the hustle in her every time she plays,” said freshman shooting guard Bell Rodriguez.

As the season and her senior year are winding down, Hanneken knows that basketball will be one of the things she cherishes most from her time in high school. When asked what she will be replaying in her mind when walking across the floor at graduation Hanneken said “ I will be remembering every good practice, every end of season melt down after the last game with my girls, and the friendships that I know will last a lifetime.”