by KEFF CIARDELLO
Despite having a bevy of talent and high hopes for a winning campaign, the Lehman girls basketball team went through a disappointing 2011-12 season that included two of their top players going down for the season with a torn ACL before the midpoint of the season.
Now, with everybody healthy and ready to play, the Lady Lobos expect to not only improve on last season but to make the playoffs.
“We will definitely be a contender for playoffs,” said head coach Jamie Coy. “We have the talent and the capability of going pretty far this year and that’s what we are looking to do – make a run at state.”
Coy believes that persistent practice habits and positive reinforcement will be the difference in making this team successful. The mental aspect of the game is what she feels is important to teach her players. She has even instituted programs to boost morale, such as “Sideline Mentors,” in which players mentor their teammates on the floor from the sideline.
“PM is positive motivation,” said Coy. “If I say ‘need three by the end of the practice,’ everybody has to positively motivate three people by the end of practice. I want them to really focus on being team leaders, motivating each other on and off the court, have the opportunity to make somebody, one of your teammates, better that day. If you see something wrong, say something. I’m only one set of eyes; I want them to start pointing things out. If you have a strong, dynamic team which functions as a unit, you’ll beat any team that has one awesome player. I feel that you need a team working together as a solid machine instead of one individual trying to do it all.”
One of the Lady Lobos’ six seniors, senior guard Ariana Gallegos, can already see improvement in this season from last.
“There is a lot more team chemistry this year and it has a lot to do with keeping that positive atmosphere,” said Gallegos. “Those positive motivations have brought a better feeling around this year.”
Gallegos, at 6-foot, 2-inches, is one of two posts over six feet tall for the Lady Lobos. Ashley Stephens, a University of Texas-San Antonio signee, at 6-3, is the other.
Coy is confident in both post players’ all-around game – their ability to not only score from in the paint, but to shoot from the outside and dribble the ball down court.
Outside of Gallegos and Stephens, the rest of the team will play primarily at the guard position. Senior guard Karsholyn Brown has returned after missing last season and will be starting at point guard. However, Coy believes that junior guard Olivia Marzullo has improved significantly and will see lots of time running the point.
“(Marzullo) was a sophomore on varsity last year,” said Coy. “She put in a lot of work over the summer developing a one-on-one game, working on her left hand shot, and making smarter plays. She will come off the bench to play some point this season.”
Marzullo said she worked hard in the offseason because she didn’t want a repeat of last season this year.
“I would say we had some issues with motivation,” said Marzullo. “We weren’t all there. This is year is different. Everybody is together, working towards a common goal and we’re ready for it.”
Bria Cheatham, Ashley Miranda and Ariana DeLeon are the other Lady Lobo seniors this season, along with Brown, Gallegos and Stephens.
The Lady Lobos are off to a 3-3 start so far this season, including winning the silver-bracket consolation championship at the Corpus Christi ISD tournament last weekend. Lehman plays at Stony Point Friday and at San Marcos Monday before returning home to host Vandegrift Tuesday in a game that is scheduled to tip off at 11:30 a.m.
