ADAMS — If you met Southland basketball players Brandi Schammel or Jana Schammel away from the court, you may not peg them for the players that they are.

You’ll probably hear some laughter and you might see some goofing around.

Put them on a basketball court, and you’ll see a sudden change. Because once the Schammel sisters change mindsets, they’re all about one thing.

“I really want to win and I’m really competetive,” Brandi said. “I hate losing. (Jana) gets into the zone and she has this on and off button when she’s ready for basketball. When she’s off the court, she’s more giggly.”

Brandi, a senior center, is averaging 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds and Jana, a sophomore guard, is averaging 14.5 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals for the Rebels, who are off to a 16-5 start to the season with just four games remaining.

The sisters have led the way offensively as Brandi has produced in the paint and provided a solid outside jump shot, while Jana is a three-point specialist with a quick first step to the hoop. They’re both solid on defense.

“It’s nice to have them, they know each other real well and the rest of the girls enjoy playing with them,” Southland head coach Bob Sheehan said. “It’s kind of a rivarly thing with them. They’re always trying to improve and they strive to better each other.”

Southland is off to its best start in years and it is hoping to lock up the No. 2 seed in Subsection 2AA South Division as the playoffs creep closer. Jana said that the key to the team’s improvement has been a more up-tempo style of play.

“We push the ball a lot and we’re getting up and down the court a lot more,” she said. “It’s fun.”

The winning has also brought some added presure for the Rebels, but Sheehan would just as soon see his team relax on the court.

“I think the girls are putting more pressure on themselves than I am,” he said. “It’s been awhile since Southland’s had a winning record for basketball. I’m trying to get them to go back to just playing basketball and enjoying it, but we’ve got a whole team of perfectionists so it’s a little tough.”

Besides basketball, the Schammels also play volleyball and softball together and their playing careers actually began while they were growing up.

Since their mom played college volleyball and their dad played college football and basketball, Brandi and Jana were often out dribbling in the driveway or playing catch in the yard.

As they got older, they learned to be part of a team.

“We got into it young, and we’d always be playing outside,” Brandi said. “When we were younger we clashed more, but now that we’re older we work well together.”

Jana made her way into the varsity ranks as an eighth grader, and while Brandi concedes that she is the better of player of the two, she still went out of her way to help out her little sister in that first season.

Now she hopes her little sister can help her accomplish one of her goals before she graduates in the spring.

“I really want to go to state. I’ve been hoping for that all season,” Brandi said.

Southland will play at No. 9 ranked Caledonia (17-3 overall) Friday at 7:30 p.m.