With an overall 18-4 record heading into the East Penn Conference (EPC) playoffs, Northampton’s girls’ basketball team has been on the quietest surprises in the Lehigh Valley this winter.

Head coach Jeff Jacksits readily admits that he didn’t expect the level of success his team has experienced this season, as the Konkrete Kids began the season as a young, growing team without any seniors.

However, Jacksits doesn’t mind the low profile, businesslike approach his team has taken as they head toward the final turn.

Just don’t tell them.

“They don’t really know what’s going on,” said Jacksits about his club. “It’s so refreshing. If they did, they might tighten up.

“They just go out there and play. They all get along well and support each other. To finish 18-4 for a team that wasn’t supposed to be that good is pretty remarkable.”

With a stacked girls’ field in the EPC, the Kids will begin play in the conference tournament as the fifth-seed and play fourth-seeded Freedom on Friday at 6 p.m. The Kids losses are all league losses (11-4).

Their recent loss was a 51-47 defeat to Nazareth that snapped a nine-game winning streak. It was the second time the Kids lost to Nazareth, suffering a 51-30 lopsided loss Dec. 20.

“We spotted them too many points early,” said Jacksits about the recent Nazareth loss. “Our execution early wasn’t very good. We made some adjustments at halftime and we got as close as three, but we couldn’t get past that. We had the ball with 30 seconds left and down three, but we couldn’t hit a three-pointer.

“Our girls knew this was a big game. It was one of the biggest games of the year, but they wanted to prove something to themselves. They played much better than the first time we played them. but they were still disappointed.”

Jacksits hopes the time off before the EPC tournament next week will allow his team to heal some minor scrapes and bruises and help his team to get healthy. Their victory over Allentown Central Catholic also helped lift their spirits.

“We had a virus running through the team down to the JVs,” he said. “The girls were tied after the Nazareth game, and we’ll use the time to get totally healthy.

“We also needed the Central Catholic win to lead us in the playoffs on a high note instead of limping in with a couple of losses.”

Looming ahead is a rematch with Freedom, ironically the last team to beat them before their nine-game losing streak, dropping a 45-37 decision Jan. 4. A win over Freedom will send the Kids to the PPL Center for the semifinals.

“A bigger court always helps us,” added Jacksits. “We like to get out and run, but Freedom is pretty quick. We didn’t play that well when we met the first time.

“It’ll be a good game, and we just have to go out and take care of business like we have all season.”