Fountain Hills High School sophomore Seilah Smith has an opportunity to turn some heads this season. More commonly known as CC, she led the girls basketball team in three-point shooting, steals and rebounds last year and was second on the team in points per game with 9.3.

CC earned second team all-region honors alongside her senior sister Soleil, who herself earned first team all-region honors last year. The duo carried the Falcons last year, but it’s CC’s show this year.

The sisters were first and second in nearly every category, but the Falcons will have more depth and support around CC this year. Head coach Amanda Baca believes in her young player, and while CC is expected to see more defense pressure against her, Baca believes she’s adjusted to her new role.

“I think she'll be fine. We played a lot of summer ball, and she took over the role of point guard and just snuck right in there and did her job,” Baca said. “She runs the floor and is a good communicator, so I think she'll be fine.”

Starting at 5:30 p.m. on the road this Friday against American Leadership Academy – West Foothills, CC will look to returning seniors LJ Holland and Titleist Patrick for support, as well as fellow sophomore Kaylee Lewis. Lewis only played the last three games last season, but she averaged eight points on 60% shooting.

The Falcons have a combined 8-26 record over the past two seasons, but they had less than 10 players both years. This year will be a change of pace as the Falcons have 13 players, including six freshmen, and they will be playing a junior varsity schedule as well.

Four of those freshmen played on the back-to-back middle school state champion teams, and perhaps none are more talented than Taleigha Bonnaha. Bonnaha will miss the beginning of the season with injury but likely would’ve been a first game starter.

“We were playing fall ball and she went down with the knee injury. We're waiting on an MRI to make sure it's not a torn ACL,” Baca said. “We think it's just meniscus and she might be out the first couple weeks. Definitely would've been helpful having her to start the season off.”

Baca will put her young players in JV games for experience and said she’ll likely overlap some of the players. The younger players are more likely to make an impact on varsity later in the season after they’ve developed some, and Baca thinks that will help when they get into their region schedule.

The Falcons will get another boost in the second half of the season when the Ibarra sisters are allowed to play. Senior Alexis and junior Alicia Ibarra transferred from Red Mountain and with the late season additions, Baca thinks the Falcons can make a push for the top of their region.

“I think we can be one or two in our region for sure. That's what I'm projecting,” Baca said. “We have two tournaments this year instead of one, so that'll help out. I think that'll get us in a little bit more of a playing mode coming back as opposed to just coming back cold.”

The Falcons suffered an eight-game losing streak in January and February last season, but Baca thinks playing a second tournament over winter break will help keep them fresh and focused. The transfer sisters also used to play for Fountain Hills Middle School, so Baca has a familiarity with her new players.

“I think with people coming and going, like the two of our sisters coming in, it's gonna be constant adjustments,” Baca said. “Because if we have those two on the floor, or even one of them at a time, it changes our offensive look considerably. So, without having a couple games under our belt and seeing how we do as a team together, I think it's just going to be feel it out and make adjustments as needed.”

The Falcons may struggle early in the season, but Baca hopes they’ll grow to meet the task. She said her squad came together over the summer and worked more on their defense, especially turning their defense into offense on transitions.

After this Friday’s road game, the Falcons hit the road twice and play at Valley Christian on Tuesday, Nov. 22, at 5:30 p.m., and at Benjamin Franklin on Tuesday, Nov. 29, at 5:30 p.m.

The Falcons will host Gilbert Christian on Wednesday Nov. 30, and San Tan Foothills on Thursday Dec. 8. They play seven more home games afterwards, with six of them happening in January.