The 2008-09 Avery Lady Vikings varsity and junior varsity squads played before the home folks for the first time on Thursday night in a scrimmage at Viking Gym against the Lady Titans of McDowell High School.Avery’s varsity team took the floor first for two 10-minute sessions with running clock, followed by the junior varsity teams squaring off in a pair of 10-minute periods.
The varsity teams again retook the floor to close the evening’s festivities, this time for five consecutive 10-minute sessions. The teams kept track of team fouls and took foul shots in the last 10-minute block of time for extra practice on those particular drills.
If Thursday’s scrimmage is any indication, this year’s version of the Avery ladies basketball teams will be as formidable, if not more so, than its predecessors from the previous handful of seasons, among the best in school history.
“We were a little nervous early, but I was really proud of the team,” junior varsity head coach Pat Daniels said after watching his team scrimmage. “We have three sophomores in Mercedes Bentley, Mary Chesnut Smith, and Logan Johnson, and they all played really well with several steals. They’ve stepped up as leaders. The freshmen looked really good, particularly Megan Tennant and Brooke Buchanan down in the post.”
The junior varsity appears poised to continue its consecutive string of conference championships with a strong class of eight newcomers to add to the three veteran players on the roster.
“I believe this is one of our best freshmen classes we’ve seen come through Avery. Savannah Dellinger is starting at our point guard, and Lacey Barrier is also a good point guard. We have several great hustling players like Emily Pritchard and Shayna Vance. Brooke Buchanan had been sick and missed a lot of practice, but she still played well in the time she was on the floor.”
Avery’s varsity club worked hard to correct errors that took place during its first scrimmage the previous weekend at Draughn High School, where the team admittedly committed a greater number of turnovers than they wanted. “We did correct many of our previous errors,” Lady Vikings varsity head coach Missy Lyons remarked following the scrimmage. “But we still need to work on passing and need to come together as a team more.”
Although there are areas that need work as the season is in its infancy, the coach was pleased with several facets of the team’s play and with a number of her players.
“I was very happy with the hustle and effort of all three of my post players, Katie Ellis, Katelynn Eudy, and Sara Wiseman. I was also pleased to see Megan Tennant coming in and giving us a boost at the post.”
The scrimmage was a good barometer of where the team is on the court as it prepares for the upcoming season opener on November 25th at Watauga.
“McDowell is a premiere team, and to be able to compete with them is a success, especially this early in the season,” Coach Lyons added. “Lauren Avery is giving us depth at the guard position, and Elyse Perry came in and shot the ball well. We need our senior guards to continue directing the court and being leaders on the floor, and I feel that will bring our game together.”
