Call them what you want - the Tremendous Trio, Fearsome Threesome or the Triple Threat - but the combination of Ka'Daizha Benjamin, Diamond Timmons and Austyn Ridings is enough to cause headaches for opposing players and coaches alike.

The Herrin standouts have led the Tigers to a 6-0 start, including a sweep of the competition at the season-opening Marion Lady Wildcat Invitational last week. Both Benjamin and Ridings averaged 17 points per game during the tournament, while Timmons averaged 11 points and eight assists.

Ridings, a 5-foot-10 junior guard, was named MVP.

"We have a lot of people coming back, so it was easy to get those girls ready to play," said Herrin coach Mike Newbold. "It was just a case of getting a few more people to come in and help us."

One of those people is 6-0 sophomore forward Haley Elders, who adds size inside for the Tigers.

"She rebounds and gives us some size," Newbold said of Elders. "We've got some decent ballhandling and we can shoot the ball."

Herrin has won 20-plus games in each of the past four seasons to go along with three regional titles. In the round-robin Lady Wildcat Invitational, the Tigers found themselves playing in the championship game against Marion right off the bat. The host Wildcats finished 4-1 in the tournament to take second place.

"We've never opened 5-0," Newbold said. "We've been 4-1 and lost in some tie-breakers, but playing Marion turned out to be the championship game in the first game of the season."

With six experienced players returning, the adjustments have been minor for the undefeated Tigers.

"Last year was a learning process with how young we were," Benjamin said. "I've got to take on the leader role this year as opposed to last year.

"Diamond, Austyn and I have a good connection. We're an off-the-wall team, but we're pretty close."

Herrin had some time off following the tournament before beating Harrisburg 57-35 on Tuesday. The Tigers averaged 65 points per game during the invitational, and will have a week to prepare for Murphysboro on Dec. 9 and Sesser-Valier-Waltonville the following night.

"I'm not shooting for anything besides winning right now," Ridings said. "We're trying to win conference as a team."

And it's the Dec. 16 SIRR Ohio matchup with Massac County in Metropolis that has Herrin buzzing. The Lady Patriots lost to Rochester last year in the Super-sectional and return Indiana University prospect Jasmine Davis. The Tigers have circled that date, underlined it and drawn arrows pointing to it as a means of underscoring its importance.

Herrin and Massac will hook up again in 2009, a Jan. 29 contest in Herrin.

"Jasmine is my biggest competition because she's so strong," Benjamin said. "So, I'm looking forward to playing them."

The Tigers will also be road-tested in the early going, opening the season with four straight visits to opposing gyms. Herrin's home opener isn't until Dec. 18 against Benton.

"I think we've got as good a chance to go as far as any team at Herrin," Timmons said. "For as long as we have worked together, it feels wonderful to be undefeated to open the season."

With three players who attract a lot of attention, Newbold has been careful to manage egos this season. In doing so, he has offered up a simple reminder.

"That first tournament is a great start," Newbold said. "But that's all it is."

pete.spitler@thesouthern.com /351-5073