It's been a fun season for former enemies, now friends - Federal Way Eagles graduate Christine Kim and Decatur Gators grad Ashley Cavalieri. They are currently sophomores on the Highline Community College Thunderbirds roster this basketball season.

Has it been fun?

"Well, yeah," said Kim, the starting point guard on the team averaging more assists than anyone else and adding a high single-digit of points per game on average. "Maybe not today, but..."

Kim's team lost to Bellevue badly, 65-44, but should be nothing hurt since they throttled the same team by 20-something points a couple, three weeks earlier.

"I think we will be able to come together in January," said Kim, whose team is 5-5 on the season.

Kim made some good crossover dribbles and did things in the game for nine points and three assists_that make one say she could play at a higher level at a four-year college, as a junior, next season. Her former high school coach had nothing but praise to say of Kim, and of speaking good things to come for her former pupil's future.

"I'd like to see her go on to a four-year college," said current Eagles head coach Karen Wieberg, who coached Kim in high school. "She's improved her game, but her game was well-rounded in high school, too. I see her passing a lot more. She's improved with the pace of the game. Her crossover move is ridiculous. She has a great work ethic. She is one of the all time best kids for us. She was a blessing to us. She transferred to Federal Way only her senior year, but she became captain. I feel like I got to become a better person from her. I hope her playing days are not over here. She is so much fun to watch."

Cavalieri hurt her hand in a game before Bellevue, so she was out. But she has improved her game.

"We will be better when Ashley comes back," said Kim, talking to her friend with she watched the men's game after playing_their game against Bellevue.

Cavalieri spoke of why the girls could go to the postseason playoffs last year (lost in first round)_and be returning nearly everyone from last year's team plus some fresh, talented new faces and be .500 so far.

"I think there is a trust issue. Then we will start to play more as a team," said Cavalieri, a 5-5 shooting guard. "We have a Christmas party we will all go to and that will be good to get to know each other there off the floor. We need more team bonding."

Cavalieri's road to being the first or second off the bench for the Thunderbirds was not easy. She was on the Gators' junior varsity both her freshmen and_sophomore seasons and her junior season was a back and forth affair between the two teams, too.

"I had to prove myself to my coaches," said Cavalieri.

It helped your confidence?

"It did," she said. "I am a better player for_it. This is my best year for basketball."

Cavalieri, though not a starter on the Thunderbirds, was contributing eight points per game on average off the bench.

She's taking her injury in stride as well.

"It's hard knowing you could be doing something out there to help, but this will be good," said Cavalieri. "It's forced me to work on (shooting, handling the ball, etc.) my left hand."

Cavalieri has had a good season, with a high game of 16 points. In points scoring, she was third behind Allison Maas, a Tyee product, and Kim.

One other good thing of all that is that Cavalieri makes the most shots she attempts.

"I had the best shooting percentage on the team," she said.

So, with Wieberg's praise, these twos gain camaraderie watching the men's game and all else that's going on. It looks like the season will come together for these former high school standouts.