The Alcovy girls' basketball team followed a great 2011-12 season with a great 2012 summer.

The Lady Tiger recently finished up an approximate 30-game stretch, which saw them compete in various summer camps and leagues.

Alcovy began the season by hosting a team camp with six teams coming in, including Alpharetta and Salem. Alcovy then went to a team camp at Locust Grove, camps at Mercer, Reinhardt and Jefferson.

The Lady Tigers return much of the same team they had during a historic season, in which they went 27-5 and reached the state final four. Alcovy lost to Miller Grove 42-34 in the Class AAAA semifinals. In 2012-13 Alcovy will compete in the newly formed Class AAAAAAA.

"We played a lot of games where we got our younger kids some time," Alcovy coach Kidada Holtzclaw said. "We played against some really good teams such as Parkview and Mills Creek, all people we'll hopefully see if we make it to the playoffs toward the end of the season, since we're going to AAAAAA this season."

Along with getting a look at her younger players, Holtzclaw also saw a bit of a different look from some of the players who will be veteran Lady Tigers.

Chief among them is rising senior Ashley Williams. Williams played center for the Tigers last year, and this season will see some time at the power forward spot.

"That will probably be the position she'll be in college," Holtzclaw said. "We definitely want to get her experience there."

One of the younger players to step up is a rising senior Lydia Gibbs, who hadn't seen extended playing time previously. Gibbs showed such improvements that Holtzclaw is looking at her to play the center position when Williams slides to forward.

All around the floor, Alcovy looks to be a bigger team this upcoming year.

"We're bigger this year," Holtzclaw said. "This is the biggest team we've ever had, most of my guards were 5-foot-5, 5-foot-9, now we have guards 5-foot-8, 5-foot-9."

While the size is a positive during Alcovy's summer, ball handling has been a negative. With the graduation of guards Gabby Sherwood and Kate Palo, the Lady Tigers lost some ball handling.

"I thought some of the things we were exposed at were that we don't have as many ball handlers," Holtzclaw said.

Stepping up during the summer was Casey Palo and Ayanna Wimbush.

"Ayanah Winbush did a good job stepping in to that position (previously filled by Sherwood)."