Monique Romero and Alexa Chavez are BFFs — best friends forever.

They are teammates, playing basketball together since they were in the fourth grade.

"I think we know each other pretty well," Chavez says. "Knowing each other so well helps when we are on the court together."

That's the kind of relationship St. Michael's head girls basketball coach Martin Romero, who is Monique's dad, wants all of his players to have.

"These girls are really close," coach Romero says. "They spend a lot of time together. I think it's because their personalities within the core group of players works so well."

Martin Romero sees it most on the bus rides. When the team travels, he can hear his players talking about all sorts of things.

"It's mainly boys," coach Romero says with a snicker, "but there are times when we are talking basketball as well."

Monique Romero says she, Chavez and the teammates often talk about the games they have played. They talk about what went right and what went wrong, in an effort to become a better team.

"We felt it was good for us to examine what we did and didn't do," Monique Romero says. "It gave us something to think about in practice."

They've talked about games, thought about things in practice, but on one particular night, they felt the pain of a tough, embarrassing loss.

"When we played Santa Fe Indian School at home," Chavez says. "That was a tough game to take."

Last season's 58-15 beatdown was a tough topic of conversation for the Lady Horsemen.

Coach Romero wanted his players to feel the hurt from that loss. He hoped his team would bond together, grow from it, and become a better team.

"We did," Chavez says. "We talked about that game for a long time. It kept coming up in conversations a lot. And we played much better the second time we faced them. We didn't win, but it was close at the end. We came the closest that any other team did in district. Taking the time to talk things out not only helps us grow together as a team, but it helped us play better as well."

As close as Monique Romero and Chavez are with their current teammates, the two are still close with a handful of former teammates, like former SFIS guard Jenine Coriz and her sister, Justina, former Capital players Dominique Lovato-Vigil and Sarah Romero, Pojoaque's Amber Roybal and Santa Fe High's Shanice Campos.

"We all played AAU basketball together growing up, so we have always been close with them," Chavez says. "When we were on the court we were really competitive with each other. But when we were off, we hung out together."

That's the same kind of bonding process taking place with the Lady Horsemen this season.

On bus trips, Monique Romero says Chavez is the team prankster. Junior post Elizabeth Serrano is known for her jokes.

Either way, the group of friends find ways to make each other smile.

On the flip side, the squad of teammates get that much closer. They become that much stronger.

"I think the way we act keeps everyone excited and keeps smiles on our faces," Chavez says. "It allows us to have high energy going into our games."

But when it comes time to focus on the task at hand, Romero and Chavez both feel it's the closeness the teammates have for each other gives them the support they need.

"We have grown so much together," Monique Romero says. "We've been through a lot and we continue to get stronger. That type of bond will pay off for us when we are in tight games as the season goes along."

Team capsule

Head coach: Martin Romero (sixth season)

Last year: 14-15, 3-5 5AAA

Returning letterwinners: Alexa Chavez, 6-foot-0, senior; Monique Romero, 5-5, guard; Christiana Gabaldon, 5-7, guard

Key newcomers: Erin Torres, 5-6, junior; Maggie Fronzac, 6-1, senior; Alexandra Groenwald, 5-4, freshman; Elizabeth Serrano, 5-4, junior

Outlook: Speed is the key for the Lady Horsemen

"We are fast and we will be able to push the ball up the court," said Martin Romero, St. Michael's head coach.

With two-time defending state champion Santa Fe Indian School in the same district, speed is nice, but defense would be better. That is something the Lady Horsemen are focusing on now. But Romero feels this could be the year someone else makes it to the top of the district standings.

"I think Hope [Christian School] and their returning players could do it," Romero said. "They are a strong team. Hope will be a force to reckon with in our district. But we'll be there as well. We have a solid core of girls who are real athletic, fast and experienced. We should be in the mix when it all finishes up."