Flashback to February 2015: The Bellevue Wolverines girls basketball team trailed the Lincoln Abes 30-28 with just two minutes left in the third quarter in a winner-to-state, loser-out basketball contest.

In the second half, Bellevue’s Shelby Cansler scored 19 points, which propelled her team to a 60-47 win on Feb. 28, 2015 at Bellevue College to clinch a spot in the 2015 Class 3A state basketball tournament. Following the game, Bellevue head coach Leah Krautter marveled about Cansler’s performance with the season on the line.

“She wasn’t going to let us lose that game,” Krautter said of Cansler’s 2015 performance.

Cansler, who is one of the Wolverines’ senior leaders on the floor this season, has helped guide her team to an undefeated record thus far. The senior guard’s leadership ability permeates throughout the entire Bellevue basketball program.

“She is a very poised leader,” Krautter said. “Shelby is very emphatic and cares about everybody else around her. Her actions on the court I think just kind of spill over to everybody. Her energy is contagious.”

Team camaraderie is a strength of the Wolverines.

“Everyone is really happy and is having so much fun as a team. Everyone is supportive of each other and everyone has their own role,” Cansler said. “It is so important that we are supporting each other and we do. We’re having a good time and hopefully we win state (Class 3A state championship). It is definitely fun being a senior. It is kind of sad and weird having it be my last year. We’re having a super fun season.”