Women’s basketball team works to get a grip on the ball

By T’asia Bobbitt and Myra Frederick
Staff Writer and Sports Editor

The UNCP women’s basketball team is working hard at getting a good footing this 2004-2005 basketball season as they adjust to losing four player to knee injuries.

Head Coach John Haskins said that the team is coming along somewhat well despite the lost of valuable players.

“We’re getting better. We’ve had a lot of injuries, but we’re getting better,” Haskins said.

Returning this year are seniors: Danielle Richardson, playing center, Julia Ayers, also in the center position and Corey Marks, playing in the guard position.

The juniors include Captain Lindsay Bartholf, as guard, Tasha Stotler, playing both guard and forward, Tiffany Wright, as a center and Kristin Vaughan, as another guard.

The sophomores this season are Lauren Lingenfelter, playing as both a guard and a forward, Mallory Weggman, as a forward, Brittany Locklear, Melina Savage and Sharkeysha Midgette all playing forward, also.

The one freshman on the team this season is Victoria Willis hailing from Charlotte, NC. When playing, Willis will play guard. Willis was an All-Conference, All-Mecklenburg County selection last season. She was also named the Most Outstanding Female Athlete at her school, Butler High School.

Tracey Lightfoot is also a newcomer to the UNCP team as a junior transfer from John Wood Community College. She will also play guard, when playing.

Haskins became the head coach of the Lady Braves after the resignation of Sandi Littleton last season.

The Lady Braves recently had a scrimmage game on Nov. 10 against Barton College where they did not do well at all, according to Haskins.

The ladies and their coaching staff are making changes in both their offense and their defense. Offensively, they are focusing on managing the ball more carefully and getting more shots off.

“We’re trying to take care of the ball better,” Haskins said.

On the defensive end, the Lady Braves are in the motion of switching their defense where they will attack their opponents earlier. Haskins said that the team has had scrimmages where their defense was good and scrimmages where their defense was not so good.

“If we can be labeled as a good defensive team, then we’re going to win games,” Bartholf said. The ladies are also working on new plays and structures for their tough competition this season.