Ancelot perfect idea for Lady Cardinals’ job

[KFDM COOP]

Ancelot perfect idea for Lady Cardinals’ job

Gabriel Pruett

The Orange Leader

It is no secret the Lamar University women’s basketball team has been in some trouble over the recent years.

Declining crowds and losing seasons have marred what was once a team that looked to be on the rise.

That could all change with one hire by LU Athletics Director Billy Tubbs.

Orangefield’s own Sondra Ancelot, a former player at Lamar, threw her name in the hat to replace Coach Leonard Drake who resigned over health issues.

Ask Bobcats’ Athletics Director Blake Morrison what Ancelot has meant to the Orangefield program.

Not only has Ancelot brought the Lady Bobcats to the playoffs in each of the last four years, including back-to-back trips to the regional tournament, the crowds at Orangefield Lady Bobcats games are very impressive.

The student section during the playoffs was a small-scale version of the “Duke Crazies†when the Blue Devils play and in the regional quarterfinals Vidor’s Pirate Gym was practically overflowing with fans in the orange and white.

All this because of what Ancelot has produced, a successful basketball team built with just enough talent and just enough teaching.

The mixture of hardwork and dedication worked at the high school level and given the chance at Lamar Ancelot can make it happen for the Lady Cardinals.

Lamar would be very hard-pressed to find another coach who is interested in the post who works longer hours, studies more film and prepares their team more than Ancelot.

The Lady Bobcats have been a symbol of dedication during her time with the team and the results have led to a 139-35 record in five years.

Besides just the basketball expertise, Ancelot would also bring a wealth knowledge about Southeast Texas players who are just waiting to be recruited by their local Lamar University.

Tubbs made it very clear in my phone interview with him on Wednesday that recruiting in Southeast Texas is a must during the next coach’s tenure.

If that is the case Ancelot should already be named a finalist, Mr. Tubbs.

The head Lady Bobcat can easily tell statistics on a number of area local players from all teams in all classifications.

From Lumberton all the way to Orangefield, players have been overlooked by Lamar over the recent years. Ancelot will be the first person to try and stop players like West Orange-Stark’s Brittney Scott from heading to Houston, Orangefield’s Kristy Sanders from leaving the area and anyone else who has talent and is thinking of playing somewhere else.

Local talent does not automatically mean winning seasons but it sure will not hurt.

After say having two winning seasons back-to-back, which Ancelot is capable of doing, the local talent will want to stay here and play at Lamar. That will also lead to grabbing a few star-recruits from outside our area.

Ancelot is not trying to make the jump to Lamar because she is tired of being at Orangefield.

It is simply an attempt to help resurrect a program she has a ton of pride in.

Ancelot was an accomplished player at Lamar and was even on the team that reached the NCAA Elite Eight in 1990-91. She ranks highly in several different categories in Lamar history.

She will bring excitement back to the Montagne Center when the Lady Cardinal’s play especially if local players are recruited and make the Lamar roster.

People in the stands is something that has been missing around the Lamar campus for a long time and Ancelot is the prime target to fix it.

Now that she has Orangefield on the right track, why not try and do the same at the next level? If not hired she will stay perfectly happy with the Lady Bobcats, continue to make the playoffs on a consistent basis and once again it will be Lamar’s loss.

[ofcattfan]

I hope she gets that job, she will work wonders at Lamar, OF will miss her, but she deserves a career boost !! 8)

[TXBaseball]

I hope she gets that job, she will work wonders at Lamar, OF will miss her, but she deserves a career boost !! 8)

I think Lamar and SE Texas would definitely benefit from Ancelot.  Good luck to her.

[whsalum]

Ancelot has done a remarkable job at Orangefield and knows what it takes to play at the college level.That being said I hope Lamar looks nationwide for it's next coach.If that happens to be Ancelot that's great but there are some really good candidates out there.There are some very good young ladies playing here in southeast texas,but we are talking about a D1 school here,recruiting will be the key to turning this program around and that won't happen overnight.Gotta get it started if your gonna get it done.

[Gabe]

But why keep letting our local talent slip away? Prime examples are WO-S' Brittney Scott and James. LU girls have been recruiting away from here and it hasn't worked. The change would be for them to actually look for girls here first.

[whsalum]

I'll agree there are some local girls here that have D1 talent.You just can't get tunnel vision if your going to recruit an elite 8 team.I know Coach Ancelot knows that,we as local basketball fans may not.I sat in McDonald gym and in the Montagne Center and watched Lamar womens basketball when the crowds ran from 500 to 10,000 .I would love to see it return,I just think all applicants should be considered for the job once it's posted.As good as high school girls basketball is around southeast Texas,D1 stuff is a completely different world.

[Gabe]

Oh i know there is a bigger world outside SE Texas but I promise girls like Kristy Sanders, Courtney Wilson, Chelsea Pickering and others like Ang Green and Kellum are worthy of playing for LU. Start with a core of our girls and work outwards. Once that happens and a few wins start coming around, then the fans come back and even bigger names from our area and beyond will follow. A change is needed and recruiting from here and a local coach is actually a change! Recruiting local sure has helped the baseball team.

[whsalum]

Not saying these aren't great high school players because they are.What I was referring to was bulding a team that compares to the elite 8 club back in the 90's.It wouldn't be fair to compare these young ladies with that kind of talent.Just watch the teams from Tennesse,Duke,NC etc. and you'll see what I'm talking about.You couldn't give scholarships to 5 or 6 local girls and expect to be an elite team.While women's basketball is good around here we aren't that much better than the rest of the country.I'm not saying Mrs.Ancelot isn't the answer,I am just saying you gotta ask the question before you come up with the answer.

[Guest bleed orange]

I agree with you whsalum but look at the history. Who took Lamar to the elite 8? Al Barbe an high school coach and he had several girls from southeast Texas on his team. Your right, Lamar can't win with golden triangle talent. But it won't hurt.

[whsalum]

Don't get me started on Al Barbe.There were some good local girls on that club and there are some good locals here now.It's just unrealistic to think we could offer 6 to 7 locals scholarships and be the elite team everyone wants.The girls college game has evolved at an unbelievable pace.It's going to take a very energetic coach and a super recruiter to keep up.Mrs.Ancelot may very well be that coach,I just think Lamar needs to see who is out there before they hire.Good luck to Coach Ancelot and the Lady Cards whichever direction they go.There is nothing like watching the ladies when they have 10,000 screaming fans in the Montagne.

[Guest bleed orange]

To be honest with you, I don't think there will ever be 10,000 fans cheering at a Lamar basketball game again, no matter who the coach is. The boys or the girls. Its sad but thats they way it is. Beaumont has never supported any sport. Back in the the day they did. But this is not back in the day. Times have changed. The days of Mike Oliver and  Clarence Pick Key are gone. Man I miss Those days.

[Gabe]

What Im trying to get across is recruiting from this area would be a start, a building block. Major recruits from other areas are not coming here anyways, start from here and build then see where it takes you. The system in place and what has been there has failed. Try something new, this goes for both the men and womens teams

[whsalum]

Bleed Orange, I think you and I are basically on the same page here.I watched 10,000 screamin fans when the ladies played Western Kentucky and 10,000 when the guys played Villanova.To be honest the talent pool isn't anywhere close now to what it was then.I agree the major recruits aren't coming here,thats where a major recruiter comes in.The campus has a lot to offer as well as the surrounding community.If your gonna build you start with a foundation and that will be the best players you can get from all over the world.Then you add your local players to add the home town element.Last years ladies from southeast Texas included Mattox,McGowen and Spears,all went to college to play.Mattox and McGowen are getting limited time at a D1 school while Spears is doing well at a Juco.I am not sure there are any girls in the area this year better than those 3.My response is in no way against Mrs.Ancelot or the local girls,it's just a plea for LU to look at the big picture before they make this hire.If LU put's a winner on the floor the fans will come,just look at the crowds the high school games draw.I'll agree with ya Orange,there was nothing like seeing Silk pull up and hit that 25 footer to put em on their feet.

[Guest bleed orange]

Lamar will weigh their options out, I promise. They will not make an decision in haste. As far as Ancelot goes, if Lamar did choose her we would be uset and happy at the same time. Upset because we are losing a good coach and happy for her because you can't pass up a career move like this. Can she handle a college head coaching job? Yes she can. She came to high school from the college ranks. Shes knows the game. She would adapt quickly. I look at this way if she gets the job, great for her. If she don't, great for us. Its a win win situation for her. Who ever gets the job, it will be a long process of getting Lamar back to where it used to be. I never took any of your post as "Ancelot would not be a good fit". You are just merely stating that Lamar need to take their time with this and make the right choice being Ancelot or not.

[whsalum]

We're good,I just wish my kids could experience the Montagne when you have to read your buddies lips to know what there saying.Hopefully  the glory days will return.I would hate to be the coach that followed Mrs. Ancelot at O-field,she has done a very good job there.

[Guest bleed orange]

I know, it was exciting. I wish my kids could see it too.

[Gabe]

I too WHS did not take your comments the wrong way and I agree Lamar needs to make sure this decision is the right one. I think and hope she is the right choice even though I know OF losing her would hurt. Lets hope we are both right, they take their time to hire but that it ends up being Ancelot and she succeeds in a big way.