Sports writer [email protected]
Welcome back to the Huddle today we are going to discuss how the Lady Ducks have silenced a lot of doubters.
If you recall one of my columns, I talked about how people needed to give the Lady Ducks time to adjust and acclimate themselves to the speed of varsity without being criticized along the way.
Well, look at them now. They currently have a very respectable 8-18 record considering the teams they have played and are 4-1 in district play.
This team is a force to be reckoned with and here’s the craziest part about this team, they only have one senior. Four of their top five scorers are in 11th grade or lower.
On top of that, their sophomore center is leading the district in rebounds. When I looked at these stats I thought back to their game against Salado, and let me tell you the reviews of the team at that time were all negative.
But, looking at the stats and watching them play now and thinking of the Salado game and what people were saying, I have to say that this young scrappy team is making a lot of people eat their words.
Let’s look at it this way, I’ll start at the top and go down. Starting with coaching, Lawrence Bailey is someone who loves the game of basketball and if you have ever been to a game, I am sure you have seen him on the sidelines showing that passion.
Couple that with the fact that he absolutely and undoubtedly loves every single player on his team and recognizes their potential and pushes them towards their full potential is something that a lot of people don’t see.
Yes, it is easy to see the tough love that he displays during the game when he’s coaching his players, but again, he knows better than anyone how good these young players can be. What people don’t see is after the game he’s sitting down with his players and talking it out and agreeing to work on whatever mistakes they made.
Bailey is one heck of a coach for this team and now we are all starting to see the fruits of their hard work as they are currently second place in the district with a revenge game against La Grange looming in the distance.
Next is the players. I challenge you to find a player on this team that is not giving their full effort every time they touch the court.
For example, Kionayh Rivers, who is the starting center for the Lady Ducks and is the best rebounder in the district, is currently was out. Fans of basketball know that if you can’t rebound you are going to lose that game.
But, not in the case of the Lady Ducks, lacking size does not mean they are lacking heart and when the smallest person on the court for the Lady Ducks is out rebounding the tallest player on the opposing team you know you got something special.
The Lady Ducks have been playing with this unquenchable thirst to prove the people who counted them out early in the season. With their next matchup against Smithville on the road the Lady Ducks are going to show up with a coach that believes in them and plenty of bulletin board material to continue their quest of silencing the doubters.
