After a .500 campaign for third place in its inaugural
Tri-County Athletic League season, the Gilroy High girls basketball
team was given much respect by the section seeding committee
GILROY – After a .500 campaign for third place in its inaugural Tri-County Athletic League season, the Gilroy High girls basketball team was given much respect by the section seeding committee – receiving a No. 4 spot and a first-round home game against No. 13 Mount Pleasant in the Division I Playoffs.
“I wasn’t surprised by that. I knew we would get a pretty good seed. We play in a tough division,” said first-year head coach Kari Williams, noting that league champ Notre Dame competes in Division IV and second-place North Salinas plays in Division II this year. “We had a good season. We beat a lot of key teams in the area. We beat Andrew Hill and we beat Silver Creek.”
The Lady Mustangs (16-11 overall) were swept by both Notre Dame and North Salinas in two T-CAL clashes – but they won’t have to face either in the post-season. On the bottom half of the bracket, Gilroy – if the team advances – will take on the winner of No. 5 Oak Grove (11-7) and No. 12 Fremont (10-12) in the March 1 quarterfinals at Leland High. The locals could face top-seed Mitty (26-2), but not until the March 4 semifinals.
“I really think we have a great opportunity to win a few games,” Williams said. “We ended up on the same side as Mitty, but I told the girls you have to beat everyone to win, anyway. That’s what March Madness is all about.”
Mount Pleasant (9-12 overall) finished 1-9 in the Blossom Valley League, which was won by No. 2 seed Piedmont Hills, but the team petitioned for a playoff spot and got one.
“They got in so that means something,” Williams said. “I know they have a couple of good athletes. It’s playoffs so they have to be pretty good. They play in a pretty tough league.”
In the comfortable confines of the Gilroy High gymnasium, the Lady Mustangs lost only two games in league to champion Notre Dame and North Salinas (by only one point).
“It’s an advantage, no doubt about it. We have supporters here, so it should be a good game for us,” Williams said. “We practice on these backboards and these rims so we have home court advantage. That sixth person does get involved.”
All season long, the key for the Lady Mustangs has been the shooting touch of senior captain Laura Hennessee – who averages double digits in scoring. But when Hennessee struggles from the field, it is hard for Gilroy to put points on the board even with junior center Sarah Hoeft finding her offensive game late in the season.
“Our game always centers on Laura (Hennessee) and Hoeft,” Williams said. “We have Jenn (Olvera) back so that’s a good thing for us.”
Olvera – who is another solid scoring threat – was on vacation and missed the team’s last two league games.
“Practices have been really good,” said Williams, during Tuesday’s workout. “We’re going game speed for an hour and a half.”
The Lady Mustangs rely heavily on their defense to generate quick buckets in transition. Gilroy’s full court press is one of its biggest offensive weapons with the defensive prowess of senior Danell Dow and junior Sarah Miller.
“(We need) leadership from the seniors and the juniors need to step up like Miller and Hoeft,” said Williams, who got solid efforts from sophomore Michelle DiFiore and junior Antionette Okere in Olvera’s absence. “We’re going to have to go out and play hard.”
