The Portage Collegiate Saints varsity girls' basketball team is playing very well to start the season.

PCI made it all the way to the finals in their first tournament of the year last weekend in Selkirk. Head coach Dave McLeod says he was impressed by the team's performance.

"We typically go to tournaments more for team bonding and to get some of the role players into games a little more often, so you don't really know what to expect," McLeod explains. "We got on a bit of a roll in our first two games and wound up in the final. Unfortunately, we fell to Steinbach Regional in the final but we had a really good weekend."

The Saints took the momentum from this tournament into their next league game as they demolished the Tec Voc Hornets 57-6. The head coach says the team is really getting into a groove.

"I think the girls are really starting to get comfortable with each other. We have a really young team, so not everybody knew each other coming into the season. Stuff like that is really important to get the younger ones included with the older ones."

Forward Kaylee Perry was named a tournament all-star for the event, and McLeod says she's been a major contributor for PCI all season.

Perry with her all-star trophy.Perry with her all-star trophy.

The Saints' next game will be on the road today against the Stonewall Rams. The head coach says every game will be meaningful the rest of the way.

"Getting wins is going to be important for the end of the year. The top eight make the playoffs, and we have ten teams in our league. So, we definitely have to win games like that in order to get into the playoff hunt."

PCI will be on the road until February 8, when they host the St. James Jimmies.