The Lady Tiger basketball team is four-and-a-half months removed from a 15-1 conference record and its first Colonial League championship since 2007.

Despite that success, which included a trip to the District 11 Class AAA semifinals, this summer the Lady Tigers are already gearing up for another successful winter season.

While the Northwestern girls varsity team is not playing in any summer leagues, the Lady Tigers' offseason consists of a four-day voluntary workout week at the high school. Under head coach Chris Deutsch, the Lady Tigers work on all of the essential skills necessary for the high school season.

"We take the kids, get a couple at a time, and we work out at the gym," Deutsch said. "We work on our shooting, our ball-handling, and our passing skills. We do stuff like that with a small group setting. That way everybody can make it on their time and when they're available.

"We like it like that, because I can get them in the gym. I can work on stuff that we need to get better at, and it works on their skills, which is so important at this time."

With players also participating in other sports and taking vacations throughout the summer, it's tough for Deutsch and the Lady Tigers to put together a summer league team. Instead, the summer workouts provide the team with a chance to work together at varying times of the day.

Deutsch is pleased with the turn out and dedication from his squad.

"It's a hardworking group," Deutsch said. "They take pride in what they do. It's a team that doesn't like to lose. They really compete and play hard. They play together as a team, [and] they like one another."

Out of all of Deutsch's workouts, the Lady Tigers are putting the most emphasis on improving their jump shots collectively.

"We work on a lot of shooting; that's the big thing we're really concentrating on," Deutsch said. "That's one thing we do work on a lot. When we get kids to the gym, they get 300-400 shots off every time they come to the gym."

The workouts may be voluntary, but Deutsch is seeing plenty of commitment from his squad that returns four starters. And one thing is for certain-Deutsch isn't worried about his players' dedication or focus over the summer months. He knows they'll be ready to roll come December.

"I know once I get them for the basketball season, they are 100 percent basketball," Deutsch said. "I never worry about their commitment. I never worry about the time they put in. I never worry about their effort because they will always give that."

The Lady Tigers will participate in both the upcoming Stellar Catch A Rising Star Basketball Tournament and SportsFest's American Arch Tournament.

The events will give the teams the chance to test their skills against some of the other tops teams in the area and beyond.

The Tigers have a history of success at the Stellar Tournament and the SportFest event and will hope to continue that July 9-13 (Stellar) and July 17-20 (SportFest).