It became clear very early this season that California was a good team.
As the season went along and the Lady Pintos were recognized in the weekly MBCA polls as a state-ranked team in Class 3, it became clear they were a great team. Wins over Hermann, Osage, Boonville and Eldon (twice) and a final record of 21-6 certainly helped build that narrative.
No one, maybe not even head coach Bobby Sangster, knows exactly when California became a special team. But looking back on the 2016-17 Lady Pintos, that's exactly what they were.
"Very few times as a coach, are you lucky enough to deem a team special," Sangster said. "This team was special. More so than any other team I've coached, it feels like they're a part of my family."
If you watched any California girls basketball game this season, "family" and "together" were likely two words you heard. That kind of bond doesn't sprout up over night. It's built over the span of years. Credit seniors Kayla Allison, Ellie Wirts, Emma Bailey, Cameron Meyer and Audrey Pickering for that.
"We're very proud of the five seniors that played for us for five years and gave so much to the program," Sangster said. "They allowed us as a staff to coach them. They embraced our coaching style. They allowed us to get to know them."
Not all senior classes are created equal, and California's five this season figure to leave a lasting mark not just on the basketball program, but on their other sports, too.
Allison, Wirts, Meyer and Bailey all won a district title this fall as members of the volleyball team. Pickering, meanwhile, is a two-time defending state champion in shot put. She'll begin her quest for a three-peat soon when track and field starts.
But like any winning program, there's talent at all levels for California. The Lady Pintos wouldn't have gone on to the success they did if it wasn't for junior guard Elizabeth Lutz.
An all-district player and likely Tri-County Conference MVP, Lutz led California in scoring, was the team's top playmaker and possessed the ability to blow a game open with a 3-point shooting deluge in the span of minutes.
She'll return to the fold next season, likely as one of the top players in Mid-Missouri.
It wasn't unusual for California to explode for 10-plus threes a game this season. With the return of juniors Brittney Ellington and Halle Oliver and sophomores Gracie George and Quinn Albertson, the team's ability to eviscerate opponents from beyond the arc is likely here to stay.
All four proved to be valuable shooters off the bench this season. With a full offseason, there's plenty of time to develop the other areas of their games.
Freshmen Paige Lamm and Hailey Cain, last seen getting valuable minutes in California's district semifinal win over Cole Camp, also figure to be major contributors for the program going forward.
"These girls mean a lot to me," Sangster said. "They mean a lot to my family. They mean a lot to this coaching staff. They mean a lot to this school. I'm just proud to be called their coach."
The 2016-17 Lady Pintos' season will also be memorable for all the high-stakes, heavyweight battles California played in. Three games versus Boonville, three against Eldon and a hard-earned split with Osage didn't always go the Lady Pintos' way - they finished a combined 4-4 in those matchups - but the players will likely come back better and battle-tested from them.
With Boonville, Eldon and Osage all bringing back key cogs next year, there will be no shortage of marquee fixtures on the schedule. Of course, Sangster and the Lady Pintos will take it game by game.
Even though the season just ended, California's process of getting better for next year has already begun.
"We're going to pick ourselves up and get back after it," Sangster said. "We're going to continue to be great students and great people. Our younger girls are going to learn from this, and we're going to keep on rolling."