She can teach them the fundamentals – how to pass, box out, defend and shoot. But neither Rose Galligan nor any other coach can teach hustle.

Luckily for her, the Pembroke girls basketball team is flush with just such a necessary tendency.

So even though the Lady Spartans lack experience, Galligan believes they have a legitimate chance to win most games they play.

“I think we’re going to be competitive, and I think we’ve already made great strides from the first game,” she said.

PA has competed twice this season, winning the first contest against Merrimack Valley, 41-38, then dropping game two, 47-44, to Bow.

“We haven’t shot the ball particularly well, but we have a lot of speed and just need to take the time to work out the kinks,” Galligan continued. “I still think I have the top player in the state, but the challenge is getting all the girls to work around her.”

That player, senior standout Alex Hall, enters her second season at Pembroke after transferring from Trinity.

“She’s a great role model … a great teammate who loves working with the other kids,” said Galligan of Hall, who scored 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds against Bow. “As talented as she is, I give a lot of credit to her parents because she’s a great individual, too.”

Though the Lady Spartans finished last December with a winning record, they struggled at times through January and February and missed the final playoff spot.

This year, Galligan hopes Hall can lead the locals to the postseason.

Hall’s classmate and co-captain, Mollie Griggs, contributes with solid play and a knack for motivation and communication. When sharp-shooting sophomore Alesha Girard is hot, such as in the season-opener when she led the team with 12 points, Pembroke can win most contests. When she’s cold, such as the Bow game, when the team produced an 18-for-72 performance from the field, the Lady Spartans struggle.

Sophomore guards Marissa Letendre, a 10-point contributor against Merrimack Valley, and Sarah Chouinard play well up top and have already shown a knack for stringent defense. Chouinard, for example, made three steals and grabbed nine rebounds vs. Bow.

Paige Bilodeau, a transfer from Bishop Brady, is still learning the new system, but Galligan expects her to contribute with greater frequency as the season progresses, and 5-foot-11 sophomore Sarah Kelley locks down the inside from her starting position at center. Sophomore Sarah Vien and junior Danielle Blanchette, who scored 10 points against Merrimack Valley, have also exhibited an aggressive style underneath the basket.

Freshman Hannah Pinard and sophomores Briana Austin and Jocelyn Cray round out the young varsity roster.