If someone walked up and started watching a West Limestone girls basketball practice, it wouldn’t take them long to figure out which two players on the team are sisters. Those would be the two going against each other as hard as they can, sometimes legally, other times not.

Neither senior Cassidy Winter or her sister, freshman Carlie Belle Winter, are going to back down when going against each other in practice, and Wildcats coach Chasity Legg said that is mostly a good thing.

“When we scrimmage, when I split them up of course they are going to guard each other,” Legg said. “That pushes them to be better ball players, but it also sparks a little fire. Sometimes they foul each other to where we just have to move on to the next thing and go to the other end of the court.”

It’s a competitive spirit the sisters have had for as long as they can remember. Cassidy, being three years older, used to dominate Carlie Belle when they were young, but since about the fifth or sixth grade, Carlie Belle has been able to hold her own — and sometimes even beat her older sister — in one-on-one.

“I finally started getting taller, and she stayed about the same size,” Carlie Belle said with a laugh. “We foul each other a lot and make each other tougher.”

That toughness and energy is on display each game night, as the Winter sisters are all over the court, offensively and defensively.

“They are a joy to coach,” Legg said. “They are very competitive and competitive toward each other. But when it comes game time, they have each other’s back. They play so well together. It’s almost like they can read each others’ minds.”

That comes from playing one-on-one against each other countless times. Each knows what the other likes to do, which makes their one-on-one sessions even more physical.

“She likes to go right, and then sling her elbow out and hit you,” Cassidy said of Carlie Belle. “So you’ve got to take that right side out of the way and then brace yourself.”

Carlie Belle also knows Cassidy’s favorite move to a tee.

“She shoots it well, and then she likes to drive and do a spin move,” Carlie Belle said. “That’s the main thing I try to stop when we’re playing one-on-one. But going against each other makes it easier to go against other opponents.”

The Winters’ basketball-playing days were put on hold last February when Cassidy tore her ACL in the area tournament. The days after the injury and subsequent surgery were tough, especially the family spring break skiing vacation.

“I got to crutch around the airport and then ride in a wheelchair whenever we went anywhere,” Cassidy said. “That was not fun.”

But thanks in part to her younger sister, Cassidy was able to rehabilitate the injury and play her senior season with a knee brace.

“It was tough, not just physically, but mentally,” Cassidy said. “You go from always being in shape to not being able to walk, and you have to work your way back. (Carlie Belle) helped me a whole lot. She helped me get stuff around the house and then was encouraging in getting me back into shape.”

Cassidy’s injury meant Carlie Belle had to step up and become more of a scorer this season, which she has done well, including a career-high 27-point performance against Tanner in the Limestone County Tournament semifinal.

“Last year I was more of a helper player, but when she got hurt, I knew I had to start scoring more and get my points up,” Carlie Belle said. “It’s something I worked on a lot.”

West Limestone’s regular season ended Friday night, and the Wildcats begin play in the area tournament Monday. The games are winding down for the Winter sisters, but they will cherish the remaining games they have left.

“(Playing with Carlie Belle) is something I’m definitely going to miss,” Cassidy said. “It’s probably one of my favorite things, honestly. Not many people can say they played three good years with their younger sister.”