The Mountaineer

Issue date: 3/12/07 Section: Web Exclusives

Media Credit: photo courtesy of Carsandra Taylor Members of Mt.SAC's newly crowned championship women's basketball team including Tonicia Tademy #10, Samantha Cardeno #3, Tay Hester #32 and Jazlyn Davis #22 hold up the championship trophy marking them as the best in the state

If you attended the women's basketball games with Mt. … no … the back-to-back state champion Mt. SAC Mounties all season, you know that there's nothing pessimistic to say or feel about these group of talented individuals.

Having ended their season in true championship fashion with a 37-1 record (best ever for women's basketball) these ladies can now enjoy the rest of the spring with their heads up high, way high.

For those sophomores who had the luxury of being a part of this team last year, they must love life right now. By looking at their lineup from top to bottom I have to confess, I was one of the skeptical people at the beginning of the year who didn't think this could be done.

But the lineup was stacked. They pretty much had a good second string unit that could fill each slot one through five. This year, there were reminders of some players who had that same game style that resembled last year's players. Chari Smith versus Lauren Ervin, Tay Hester versus Krystal Fontenot, Safiya Brown versus Krystal Williams … all of these players are contrasted to possess a similar style of play but brings their own.

For the past four years, this program has been blessed with talent all the way from the tireless trainers, who work day in and day out conditioning the players and caretaking them, to the coaching staff from top to bottom who, time and time again, have nurtured, disciplined and instructed their pupils well.

Their recruiting is excellent. They know what to look for and who to get and the teaching part of their job does wonders.

The backcourt duo of guards Tonicia Tademy and Sam Cardeno has brought a solid offensive threat to opposing teams as well as their frontcourt center, Chari Smith, standing at 6 foot 3 inches, and the quick forwards in Tay Hester and Safiya Brown. That lineup alone is almost a complete collection of weapons that can hit you from all parts. From the dribble-drive, to the outside shooting, to the low-post rebounds, to the ball movement around the key, it's amazing to still find the different collection of things that each player is able to do.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools