The Central High School varsity girls basketball team has a solid reason for expecting big things this season.

“We’re a senior-heavy team,” Lady Chargers Head Coach Scott Wilson said. “We have seven seniors and three juniors, and so we’re hoping this experienced, veteran team will translate into some more victories this season.”

Last year, Central finished seventh in the district, held the sixth seed in Conference 42 and lost in the first round of the conference tournament to Middlesex High School. The Lady Chargers finished with a 5-12 record, but that mark was somewhat deceiving.

“We lost five games by six points or less,” Wilson said.

He said that the record was obviously disappointing, but the team learned a lot.

“We played great defense throughout the season,” he said. “We held many teams to their season low. What we needed to work on in the offseason and this season is our scoring production — shot selection, free throw shooting — because we only averaged about 34 points a game.”

Central starting point guard Ashley Ellis graduated after last season, leaving a key position to fill, and senior TanJaNeka White-Freeman will be working to do that, transitioning from small forward.

Senior center/forward BriAnna Johnson is expected to continue bringing key leadership to the Lady Chargers. She has been an all-conference second team selection the past two seasons, and last year, she averaged a double-double, leading Central in scoring and rebounding.

“Brittany Dolan and MyYonte’ Jennings are our three-point specialists,” Wilson said. “They, so far in our two scrimmages, averaged about 10 points a game.”

He highlighted senior forward/guard Dominique Turman-Watson as an all-around great player.

Senior forward Ashley Genova and junior center Megan Dech drew praise from Wilson as being great defensive players.

Central starts its season Wednesday, hosting Randolph-Henry High School at 7 p.m.