By By Adam Robinson
sports editor
It has been 13 seasons since the T.R. Miller Lady Tiger basketball team has repeated a season worthy of becoming state champions.
A 26-2 season last year  saw the Lady Tigers win 19 straight games and get their first state championship since 2002. The question now is can the Lady Tigers repeat and head back to Birmingham this season?
Repeating a state championship season is always a challenging and difficult task. But, the 2009-10 T.R. Miller Lady Tigers just might have the tools to make it happen and become the first Lady Tiger team since the 1994-1995 and 1995-1996 team repeated as state champs.
The Lady Tigers won the Class 3A state title last season and returned two full-time starters according to head coach Ron Jackson and have nine returning players from that 2009 team.
The Lady Tigers roster this season shows 15 players with five seniors, four juniors, three sophomores, and three freshmen.
Junior Shay Kiser gave the Lady Tigers a lot of minutes last year Jackson said.
Desiree Gibbs, another senior, and Leah play the same position, Jackson said.
Jackson said he would probably rotate Courtney Jones from the four to the five to sub in for Keydra and Janel.
Jackson said that Joshmene Barton, sophomore, is in the learning stages in her first year playing.
Brittany Rush, junior, was hurt last year Jackson said, but he thinks she can help give some minutes.
As for his grade breakdown of players, Jackson said he would have like to have at least five sophomores and freshman.
The schedule for the Lady Tigers this season shows them opening Monday, Nov. 23 at the Ft. Walton Beach Thanksgiv-ing tournament.
Jackson said it will show his team their strengths and weaknesses against some tough teams that he usually likes to start the season out by playing.
Following that, the Lady Tigers will play in a Christmas tournament on Monday, Dec. 28 at Grove Hill.
As for the bull’s-eye being bigger than normal on the Lady Tigers this season since the championship last season, Jackson said that he tells his team that it is lonely at the top.