When the Hillcrest girls basketball team returned to the gym for workouts this past summer, fourth-year coach Nick Browder had a special reminder for his team on the scoreboard inside the gym.

On the scoreboard, it read 'Hillcrest vs. Huffman'. A reminder of the Lady Patriots fate in the 2023 Class 6A state tournament, where Huffman defeated them 56-50 in the Final Four. Browder did not stop there either, with players revealing he used other practice opportunities, like watching film, to remind his team of its Final Four loss last year.

The reminders, Browder said, are not so much about Huffman as they are about the Lady Patriots and a reminder of what they can control.

"I felt like Huffman played harder than us down the stretch, and I felt like that had a lot to do with us running out of gas," Browder said. "We weren't prepared mentally, physically, emotionally and when bad things went down in the game, we were not able to get over that hump. Going into the summer, we were like 'hey look, this is what it's going to take, and we got to be able to get over that hump in big time games.'"

Now, heading into the Class 6A state tournament, the Hillcrest girls feel they have a new purpose this time around, a purpose fueled from the pain they felt after the final whistle blew last March.

"(Now) we work harder and always try our best," junior guard Jareah Branch said. "And we bring our best every game."

Hillcrest enters regionals as the two-time Class 6A, Area 6 regular season and tournament champions, and it finished the regular season ranked No. 3 by the ASWA in Class 6A. The Lady Patriots also return their whole 2023 roster along with a new few key additions.

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"I think we're a little deeper (this year)," Browder said. "Bri Turner wasn't with us last year. She's been around the program a lot, so she's familiar with what we got going on, but she wasn't around last year and she's going to help us a lot. We've got some younger girls as well, Angel Shelton and Jaidan Davis-Hines, those girls are stepping up to help us."

Browder made an emphasis this season on challenging his team more than he had before to prepare them for when the time comes when they play another team like Huffman, and he wants to make sure his team is prepared when the time comes this time around.

"I think that from a coaching standpoint is something I have changed as far as getting them ready to go," Browder said. "I did feel like we had some double digits wins down the stretch where we played a lot of people, which was great. But when it was all said and done (last season), we had not prepared them for a full game because they had not played a full game.

"You do not want to go into the playoffs, and everybody is playing 15 minutes a game. As great as that is for your team where everybody is getting a chance to play, in close games, you want to have them ready to go."

Junior guard Trinity Braggs said she has noticed an increase in intensity at practices. She realizes it is for the greater good of the team and to get them ready for big moments when they do come.

"Practices have been harder. We've been going at each other, competition wise, we are getting ready to play teams like Huffman that will play us hard," Braggs said. "This year has been different because most people have been playing us in zone, so we haven't been doing stuff like that, like they do. But we have still been working hard in practices to come up with plans."

The Lady Patriots open regional play in the Class 6A Sweet Sixteen on Thursday, Feb. 15 vs. McAdory at Bill Harris Arena in Birmingham. Hillcrest knows it has a target on its back from its success in years past, but it is something Browder said his team is managing well.

"I think last year was like we made it," Browder said, "and then this year, it's like we are proven to get back.

"It's hard because everybody is expecting you to do it again. (But) I think they have managed that really well. You're always going to get everybody's best shot."

Anna Snyder covers high school sports and University of Alabama softball and football recruiting for The Tuscaloosa News. Reach her at asnyder@gannett.com. Follow her on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, @annaesnyder2

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: AHSAA basketball: Hillcrest girls using experience to make another playoff run