With good size and promising talent, the Liberty girls basketball team has a high ceiling to work up to this season.

“We have an enormous amount of potential,” said Liberty coach Randy Leifer. “We’ve still got some growing to do. We’re getting better defensively and settling in a little bit offensively.”

The Patriots have excellent size up front with Danni Sjolander (6-foot-1), Aspen Winegar (5-11) and Halie Ericksen (5-11). That advantage has led Leifer to adapt his strategies.

“Offensively, we’re trying to get the ball into the post a little more,” he said. “On defense we’re playing a little more zone.”

The zone defense will make it tougher for teams to score inside, forcing them to make outside shots.

Senior Breanne Faehnrich has returned from injury to play in the past few games for Liberty and Leifer thinks she will take over the role as go-to option on offense.

Faehnrich is a three-year starter for the Patriots. She is averaging 10 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in her two games so far.

For now, the offense is a model of balance. Winegar, a sophomore, is leading the team in scoring so far at 11.7 points per game. Sjolander is third on the team with 8.7 points per game. Balanced offense helps a team avoid slumps, but it can sometimes leave a team without a go-to scorer. Leifer doesn’t think that will be an issue with this group.

“I think eventually down the stretch Breanne will be comfortable in that role,” he said. “For now we have a few go-to people late. Those people can definitely step up when needed.”

Leifer said junior Madison Birdsall has the ability to lead the team in scoring, she’s just not asked to most nights. Birdsall is averaging 6.8 points per game.

The Patriots started 3-3 overall and 2-1 in the KingCo 3A/2A (Liberty played Hazen in a non-league game Dec. 22 and the score wasn’t available by deadline).

Liberty’s deadline is to keep improving throughout the season. Leifer said if that happens, the Patriots should make some postseason noise.

“We’d like to get to districts and love to get to state,” he said. “We’re not there now, but I think we could be by the end of the year.”