THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 26, 1995 TAG: 9510250164
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 21 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
PLANNING FOR A game against the Franklin High girls basketball team requires some serious thought. There are two questions that must be answered:
Who is going to guard Mandi Vick? And how many people will guard her?
Coaches in the Bay Rivers District have discovered that even if these questions are answered Vick is hard to stop.
``She's probably about the best player in the district with the most experience,'' Lakeland coach Stephanie Odom said. ``She's a very good post player and handles the ball well. If you get the ball to her she's going to score.''
The Broncos have made a habit of getting the ball to Vick, and last Tuesday the senior hit a free throw in the third quarter against Bruton to become Franklin's third player to reach 1,000 career points.
``I was happy it finally came because I was waiting a long time for it,'' said Vick, who joins Sheila Baxter and Anita Taylor as the Broncos' only 1,000-point scorers. ``I wasn't really thinking about it the whole game, but when I went up for that foul shot I was shaking.''
Vick has been the one making the rest of the Bay Rivers teams nervous, though. The 6-foot, 185-pound center averages 17.2 points and 16 rebounds per game this season. Her season high of 24 points came in a win over Southampton Oct. 5.
``She's basically the go-to scorer for us and the one we look for to make the big shot,'' Franklin coach Mona Sumblin said. ``She should be scoring more, but everybody keys on her and knows we're going in to her. It makes her have to work a lot harder.''
Working harder to get open is something that Vick enjoys.
``I like it because it gives me more of a challenge,'' said Vick, who began playing basketball at age three when her father put a 5-foot-high rim in the back yard. ``When teams give you that much attention you know you're a threat.''
Vick, 17, is used to being a threat. She played on the Franklin varsity team as a freshman, averaging nine points a game and earning Outstanding Freshman and all-district honorable mention. As a sophomore, Vick scored nearly 13 points per game and was named to the district's second team. Last year, she averaged 17 points and made first team all-district and second team all-region.
``I practice every day (during the off-season),'' said Vick, who has played softball for three years, but will throw the shot put and discus for the track team in the spring. ``I can't sit around. I have to go out and work at getting better.''
This year, improving meant getting stronger, so Vick worked out with the Franklin football team.
``I lifted weights and ran with them to keep in shape,'' she said. ``They probably thought girls were lazy until I got out there. I had to gain their respect. They know I'm really into sports and they didn't mind.''
Vick, who bench presses 140 pounds, hoped the strength training would help her prepare for her senior year and college basketball. She has sent videotapes to George Mason and Virginia Commonwealth and expects to get a reply soon.
``I'm excited about it. I think I'll do well,'' said Vick, who has already met the NCAA's eligibility requirements. ``I'll have to move to forward. I don't have the height for center, but that's fine.''
Vick said her game is just about ready for college.
``I consider myself a leader when I'm out there,'' she said. ``I always rebound pretty well and hustle. Even if I'm not scoring, I try to do something else to help the team.''
The Broncos, however, have struggled this year. Before Tuesday's game at Lakeland, Franklin was 4-10 overall and 4-6 in the district.
``We've gained a lot of unity as the season goes on,'' Vick said. ``At the beginning of the season we didn't accept each other's criticism. Now we know that you have to take it to make us better.''
``We'll turn it around and pick up our record for the (Bay Rivers) tournament.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Franklin's Mandi Vick, right, gets off a shot against Nansemond
River's defense in a recent game.
by CNB