Well, coach Jerry Squire and the Northampton County Lady Jaguars are no different.

The Lady Jags attended team basketball camp at North Carolina Central University Tuesday with the aforementioned goals in mind.

The Jaguars enter summer play a very young team.

With only one senior who the Lady Jags will rely heavily upon Milequa Eason for leadership on and off the court.

Entering the first match-up of the morning, many on Squire's team were facing their first high school level opponent.

The nerves and jitters were apparent as the Jaguars faced the Durham Titans, a showcase team comprised of 4A players, with early turnovers, defensive breakdowns, and rushed shots.

Throughout the first game, Squire consistently preached the importance of defense to her squad.

At the half, the Jaguars were down 28-10.

In the second half, the Jags calmed down but were never able to settle down completely.

The scoreboard was erased due to a 25 point lead by the Titans.

After the game, Squire had a long, heart to heart talk with her team to keep them focused and confident. The halftime talk of the first game must have worked, as the Jaguars came out a more focused, aggressive unit against Red Springs (2A).

Eason was the catalyst, playing under control and more aggressively on defense — getting her hands on several passes and turning them into transition points.

As with most teams, emotions will only get you so far, the Jags started to play sloppily midway through the first half, turning the ball over and not locating shooters on the perimeter.

The second half saw the Jaguars come out back on track.

The team displayed passing that had not been seen all day, and Eason stepped up the defensive pressure on the perimeter.

Squire's team played the second half with a lot of fight and grit, but they were never able to get within eight points of Red Springs. The Jags lost 49-40, but played a better overall game.

Summer basketball is not about wins and losses, but more about the growth of teams. "I don't even think they should keep score, it's all about the teams getting better," said Squire after the game. Bright spots for the Jaguars:

• Freshman Aaliyah Romsey showed a nice shooting touch. She should be able to create spacing and open up the lane and for Eason to drive. Squire should be able to run some plays for her as she gets more comfortable playing at the high school level.

• Eason is a defensive nightmare on the ball. Her ability to penetrate the paint will prove key for the low post players. She pushes the tempo Squire wants to play and is a vocal leader on a very young team.

• Octavia Williams and Rashauna Grant showed the ability to catch passes from penetrating guards and score in the paint.

The Jags will be perimeter oriented, but the girls down low have to be able to score when the paint collapses around their guards.

The Jaguars return to action Thursday at Gaston Middle School as the annual Betty Ballard Summer League starts at 2 p.m.