When I did the 2014-15 high school basketball previews, I had a feeling that, as a whole, the girls might keep things more competitive than the boys.
Roughly 10 games into the season, it looks like I was on to something — but I didn’t think things would be this good, this early.
On Dec. 9, all three of our teams combined for an 18-5 record — with Plant City and Strawberry Crest boasting one-loss records — while their male counterparts combined for a 5-18 mark. Ladies, that’s excellent basketball on your part.
I get that the girls game is much different than the boys game, and I’m sure at least a few people would say it’s “boring” in comparison. That was certainly the reason why almost none of my friends in high school ever wanted to go catch a game and, because of that, why I had only ever been to one game while I was in high school. The boys game was more exciting to watch, simply because they were all bigger, faster and more likely to dunk.
When I got to college, I was lucky enough to be able to watch an excellent women’s basketball program. The Lady Eagles, with Karl Smesko at the helm, had some very talented players come through in my four years there, and even made some quality playoff runs. For a while — really, up until my senior year — they were the hot sports ticket around campus because it was commonly believed that they were better than the men’s team.
My friends and I gained a deeper appreciation for the girls game.
I’d say that the biggest difference, physical tools notwithstanding, is that the girls have to rely more heavily on fundamentals than the boys do. Any basketball fan — especially one who enjoys watching the San Antonio Spurs — should appreciate what sticking to fundamentals can do for a team.
With Plant City and Strawberry Crest playing so well, and Durant having a turnaround year, the games are certainly worth the price of admission.
If you’re looking for a team that can score almost at will, go watch the Lady Chargers. At 65.8 points per game, Crest is the highest-scoring team in the area, and it also averages an excellent 25.2 steals per game and 14.2 blocks per game. With two home games coming up before the Christmas break, anyone in that area would be wise to go catch at least one.
Plant City’s no slouch, either. The Lady Raiders don’t score quite as often as Crest, but this may be the best defense in the district. Allowing an average of just around 27 points per game, few have been able to expose any weaknesses in this lineup. This team also boasts one of the district’s best players in forward Shayna Lawrence, who is averaging a double-double in points and rebounds, along with almost five blocks per game. Plant City also has two home games coming right before the break.
Durant’s squad has improved greatly since last season and have been nearly unstoppable at home. The Lady Cougars have a 3-1 record at Cougar Path, with the last two wins coming by double digits. No one in the area is scoring at a higher rate than freshman Ashlyn Myers, who averages 14.9 points per game. Junior Tahira Rodriguez is still the solid contributor that she was in last season. Your last chance to watch the Cougars play at home before Christmas will be Dec. 18, when they host a fearsome Plant High School team.