Lady Stangs look forward to another year of history
The freshmen and junior varsity will play at 9 a.m., while the varsity takes to the court at 10:45 a.m.
Head coach Stephanie Gamble, who is starting her second season at Marble Falls, said the players are committed and motivated to continue a tradition of excellence the program has enjoyed the last several years.
“The work ethic, time, effort and intensity on which we work has not changed,” she said. “Nor will it change.”
The team will be led by senior point guard Katy Cooke, who has committed to play basketball for Tennessee Tech, Diana Fonseca, Katie Mosher and Lindsay Ansley.
“Some of those are definitely returning,” Gamble said. “Mosher, Cooke and Fonseca played several games throughout the year. Those three are the only ones I consider with quite a bit of experience.”
Ansley spent most of last season letting her knee heal after tearing an anterior cruciate ligament at the end of the 2006-2007 season.
Because she was released in time for the playoffs, Ansley has only experienced several weeks, not months, under Gamble’s system, the coach said.
Other players include Kimi Hicks, Erica De La Hoya, Shannon Bendas and Amanda Gray, who spent last season with an injury.
While some may be concerned about having a team of only eight players, Gamble is not. When she guided Kerrville Tivy to the state tournament twice, the roster listed only eight players, she said.
“We’re going to develop some cohesiveness,” she said.
That means the athletes will get to know each other on both sides of the court.
Because this marks Gamble’s second season guiding the Lady Mustangs, the players are familiar with the system and what she’s looking for in practices – from drills to intensity to playing with a sense of urgency.
Marble Falls finally won an outright, untied district title last season, its first in more than 20 years.
To help this season’s team prepare, the coach has compiled one of the toughest schedules in the state.
Their first tournament is the Dr Pepper Chisholm Trail Classic in Belton, which traditionally features teams that have gone deep in the playoffs. The Lady Mustangs will also host the American Bank of Texas Tournament Nov. 20-22. They will end the Christmas break at the Mansfield Tournament, considered one of the top tournaments in the state because of the level of competition.
Marble Falls will play contests against Round Rock McNeil, Georgetown and San Antonio Stevens in November and Burnet, Round Rock Stony Point and Llano in December.
District 25-4A play will begin in January against Lake Travis, the squad Marble Falls eliminated while returning to the Region IV Tournament last season. This marks the first time in four years the Lady Mustangs will begin league play after the Christmas holiday.
“This is normal to me,” Gamble said. “District comes when it comes. We’re going to be prepared for it.”
Marble Falls will still meet traditional foes Lampasas and Lake Travis along with Pflugerville Hendrickson. Hutto and Killeen are new to the league.
“We expect to win,” the coach said. “We expect to be in the playoffs. Nothing has changed about what our expectations are.”
The Lady Mustangs will meet Llano in a scrimmage Tuesday with freshman and junior varsity games at 5:30 p.m. and the varsity scrimmage to follow.
Gamble said she looks forward to the season. While the players may change, the goals do not.
“We have a great group of kids who are working extremely hard for the same goal,” she said. “I’m very proud of the effort we put out there. I like what they bring to the table.”