Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Lady Eagles will lack height, not experience

Nov. 25 opener against one of seven 5A foes

Jason W. Brooks News-Bulletin Staff Writer; jbrooks@news-bulletin.com

Belen Since basketball teams tend to play to the level of their competition, the Belen Lady Eagles should have a shot at improving on last year's performance. With at least seven games against Class 5A teams set for their 2008-09 schedule, the Eagles will have to work hard to see if their successful summer translates into a winning season.

"We expect to be able to handle playing competitive teams," said BHS's third-year coach, Danny Griego, whose team went 10-17 last season. "Most of the varsity's been together for three years now, so we know what to expect, and we all know the system now. All that's left is to take care of business."

With five returning seniors and three juniors back on a team that only lost Reanna Stambaugh and Jasmine Gabaldon to graduation, the Eagles look to improve the hard way, but Griego said the team had a strong summer at team camps. Most of the teams on the Eagles' slate made the playoffs last year, and BHS wants to get past its first-round exits from the 16-team state tournament bracket it experienced the past two seasons.

The Eagles open the season at home on Tuesday, Nov. 25, by hosting 5A Manzano at approximately 7 p.m. That's followed by a Tuesday, Dec. 2 trip to Bernalillo and one of the biggest tests of the year in a home game against 5A power Rio Rancho on Dec. 4.

Leading the way will be senior point guard Casey Stambaugh, who was among the Class 4A leaders with 5.9 assists per game in 2007-08. Stambaugh, also one of the team's top outside shooters, will be joined in the backcourt by third-year varsity player Nicolle Sanchez, a junior, who led the Eagles in scoring last year.

Franchesca Stark, a senior, will be the starting small forward, and another senior, Nichole Carbajal, hopes to be among the 4A leaders again in rebounding. Seniors Kassia Cano and Jessica Hunter bring experience to both the wing spot and in the paint, while junior guard Teresa Mares is a veteran ball handler and sharp shooter.

None of the returners are taller than 5-feet, 9-inches, so the Eagles will need to run and hustle to be successful. They'll also have to be less timid in the paint. Missed layups and poor shot execution cost the Eagles in close games last season, including a disappointing 46-45 district tournament loss at Albuquerque Academy.

That loss led to a No. 16 seed in the 4A state tournament, and the Eagles lost 60-33 at No. 1 seed Kirtland Central. Free throws were also a struggling point in 2007-08 (BHS shot only 47 percent), but these are the kinds of things the Eagles now seem to have the positive attitude better suited to conquer.

Belen opens play in the new four-team District 6-4A on Feb. 3, when the Eagles host Volcano Vista. St. Pius, winners of two of the last three 4A titles and coached by Danny Griego's brother Phil, will be the Eagles' main obstacle in grabbing the district title.

"I think we're ready for it," one of the seniors, Stark, said regarding the tough schedule. "It's a good preparation for district, and we want to represent Belen well. We have more of the 'want' and the togetherness we need."

Stark said the team's summer trip to the Big Time Hoops tournament in Colorado Springs was a huge team-building event for the Eagles.

"I got a lot of leadership skills from that trip, and it was a lot of fun," said Stark. "Now, this is our chance to really step up."

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