The seasons of first for the Troy Recreation Department 12-and-under girls basketball team nearly had it’s story book ending.

The girls captured the district title over Eufaula a few weeks ago, and advanced to the state tournament this past week in Gadsden.

The state tournament saw the girls advance to the championship game, before falling just a few points short of a state title.

“I thought we played very will up until the championship game,” said head coach Jim English. “We were really confident heading in to it and just came out a little flat. We didn’t quite have our A-game and it got us.”

Although the team didn’t bring home a championship, English said that have the pride of being the first girls team to ever advance to the state championship game.

English also said that the team received kind words on the all-around behavior of the group from numerous people in Gadsden.

“We went to no less than four restaurants and every one said that they had never seen a group of girls as well behaved and courteous as ours,” said English. “The hotel staff said the same thing. Getting that said about your team means nearly as much as what is done on the court.”

English said that the season and trip would not have been possible without the help work of the team parents, as well as David Dickey and Dan Smith of the Troy Parks and Recreation Department.