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Sandies basketball coming together
BY BILL HARVEY
Sitting on one of those painfully hard wooden benches in the practice gym and talking with Sandies varsity starters Shelly Fivecoat and Kameryn Daigle, one gets the sense that this could be their breakout season. Six games into the early stages of the 2008-2009 campaign, the Sandies stand at 3-3 and sport a whole new attitude and confidence. Things have changed over the last two seasons.
“Coming into this year,” said Fivecoat, “we know that we can be good and we know we can win. We are playing with more passion because we know this is our year and we are playing together. We lost a game in overtime and that was a wakeup call for us because we were ahead and we let them comeback.”
Daigle, Calhoun’s point guard, had gazed at the floor as Fivecoat talked about the overtime loss, then raised her eyes and almost glared. “Losing that game really hurt. Last year it would have been just another loss—but this year losing hurts.”
Clearly, something has changed since last year. There is an evident “fire” in the Sandies this year.
“We have to practice like we play,” said Daigle. “We have to practice with intensity. There is a clear sense of what we need to do to win. I have to make better decisions and be a better team leader—I am our point guard, and our point guard calls the plays.”
“This is it for me,” added Fivecoat. “After this basketball season, my high school athletics career is over. We have played together since we were in elementary school. I want this to be a good way for me to end my high school career.”
So, why will this season be different from those past, well according to Head Coach Kellie Whitaker, there are several important changes. “We are a much more cohesive team,” said Whitaker. “This is a “no stars” team and this year we are starting near the point where we finished last year. We are not having to start all over again this year and the team is much closer together and working well as a team. We are fundamentally stronger than in the past and my money is always on the team that is fundamentally sound.”
The Sandies have some key players returning including All-District players in the form Daigle, Fivecoat and “first teamer” Kendra Parsons. Stephanie Abraham will be a player to watch as she continues to improve her game (particularly in light of her newly discovered shooting theory) as will Ariel Gonzales who sat out last year with a knee injury and is a welcome sight back on the court. Velyncia Villegas also returns from last year’s team.
As we parted company, I asked Daigle about basketball in general, “It is a love/hate relationship with basketball,” she told me. “I hate to lose and sometimes I hate working so hard at getting better and playing the game. But basketball itself, well, I love the game. I live for this…..”
“Coming into this year,” said Fivecoat, “we know that we can be good and we know we can win. We are playing with more passion because we know this is our year and we are playing together. We lost a game in overtime and that was a wakeup call for us because we were ahead and we let them comeback.”
Daigle, Calhoun’s point guard, had gazed at the floor as Fivecoat talked about the overtime loss, then raised her eyes and almost glared. “Losing that game really hurt. Last year it would have been just another loss—but this year losing hurts.”
Clearly, something has changed since last year. There is an evident “fire” in the Sandies this year.
“We have to practice like we play,” said Daigle. “We have to practice with intensity. There is a clear sense of what we need to do to win. I have to make better decisions and be a better team leader—I am our point guard, and our point guard calls the plays.”
“This is it for me,” added Fivecoat. “After this basketball season, my high school athletics career is over. We have played together since we were in elementary school. I want this to be a good way for me to end my high school career.”
So, why will this season be different from those past, well according to Head Coach Kellie Whitaker, there are several important changes. “We are a much more cohesive team,” said Whitaker. “This is a “no stars” team and this year we are starting near the point where we finished last year. We are not having to start all over again this year and the team is much closer together and working well as a team. We are fundamentally stronger than in the past and my money is always on the team that is fundamentally sound.”
The Sandies have some key players returning including All-District players in the form Daigle, Fivecoat and “first teamer” Kendra Parsons. Stephanie Abraham will be a player to watch as she continues to improve her game (particularly in light of her newly discovered shooting theory) as will Ariel Gonzales who sat out last year with a knee injury and is a welcome sight back on the court. Velyncia Villegas also returns from last year’s team.
As we parted company, I asked Daigle about basketball in general, “It is a love/hate relationship with basketball,” she told me. “I hate to lose and sometimes I hate working so hard at getting better and playing the game. But basketball itself, well, I love the game. I live for this…..”
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