Lady Indians get ready for a new year

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Lady Indians get ready for a new year

By Cody Pastorella

The Port Arthur News

After a near playoff berth in 2005, the Port Neches-Groves Lady Indians fell to 12-19 in 2006 and will likely struggle again this season.

The Lady Indians finished District 22-4A with a 4-10 record, and are expected to be the same caliber of team this year.

PN-G does return five players from varsity last year, but head coach Stephanie Ansel isn’t sure her team’s speed will make up for its lack of size.

?e have some kids coming back from last year’s team but they didn’t all play a lot. There isn’t a lot of game time experience on this team,†Ansel said. “We are just going to have to wait and see if any of our newcomers are going to step it up.â€

The Indians return Sami Jo Williams, a third-year wing and 5-6 senior. Williams has the most experience on the squad.

Junior Samantha Lunceford also returns for her second year on varsity. Lunceford, a 5-9 post, is the biggest threat for PN-G in the paint.

Other returners include seniors Jessica Sheilds, a 5-4 guard, Brittany Calhoun, a 5-4 wing, and Mailaika Tezeno, a 5-2 wing.

Newcomers include seniors Antoniella Hebert, a 5-5 wing; Kayla Hoyt, a 5-10 post; Lynsey Johnson, a 5-6 guard; and Kaylen Vera, a 5-6 post.

Ansel is also hoping freshman Mallory Livingston can add more speed and defense to the Indians basketball team.

“We are short but we are hoping to pester other teams on defense,†Ansel said. “We are going to play man and we’re going to run and gun on offense. We’re going to try to make some things happen with our speed and adapt to our size.

Ansel said her players bought into the system last year and she expects they will pick up where they left off.

“We are not very deep, so we’re going to have to be in shape,†Ansel said. “We have to be great at the little things and continue to shoot well from the free throw line (team shot 57 percent from the charity stripe last season) this year.

“We weren’t very strong shooting three-pointers last year, but I think we have some girls who will do better this year.

“We have a quick front court, we’re going to pressure other teams and hopefully tire our opponents out.â€

Ansel said she hopes the preseason schedule will prepare her young squad for a more competitive district season in 2007.