THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 30, 1995 TAG: 9511300535
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: High School Girls Basketball Preview
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines
With only five teams in the Eastern District, anything could happen. But Lake Taylor will be the team to beat. Juritus Thompson, the district's rookie of the year, should lead the Titans to another crown. Maury's Shwante Snead, the league's player of the year, returns for her senior season under a new head coach, Lamont Walker. Watch for fireworks as Snead takes aim at district scoring records.
LAKE TAYLOR
Coach: Teresa Jones (4th year, 35-27)
Last year: 12-10 overall, 7-1 district (won district, lost in region first round).
Impact players: Juritus Thompson, 5-3, sophomore guard; Tasha Thompson, 5-4 sophomore guard; Ray Ray Jamison, 5-9, senior center; Fareedah Mahdi, 5-8, senior forward.
Newcomers to watch: Tara Jamison, 5-7 senior gaurd; Valencia Gaines, 5-9 junior forward.
Outlook: Juritus Thompson, last year's district rookie of the year, is a year older and her game is sure to be more refined. Her sister, Tasha, adds depth to the Titans' perimeter game and Jamison and Mahdi are strong inside.
MAURY
Coach: Lamont Walker (1st year)
Last year: 12-7 overall, 4-4 district (district tournament champion, lost in region first round).
Impact players: Shwante Snead, 5-6 senior guard; Paige Giffen, 5-10, senior center/forward; Lisa Joyner 5-2 senior guard; Nika Crandell, 5-8 senior forward; Allison Morris, 5-8 junior gaurd/forwrd; Amy Mayer, 5-8 junior guard/forward.
Newcomers to watch: Thomasena Snowden, 5-5, G, Sr.; Lataisha Gibb, 5-9, C/F, Sr.; Victoria Holden, 5-8, G/F, So.
Outlook: The Commodores will count on Snead to do it all again. But in order to be successful, Giffen must come through on the boards and Crandell must help out with the scoring.
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON
Coach: Cal Davidson (14th year)
Last year: 7-9 overall, 6-2 district.
Impact players: Erica Simpson, 5-5 senior guard; Leah Byrd, 5-6 senior forward; Raquita Washington, 5-4 junior guard; Karen Jonhson, 5-10 senior center; Leslie Evidente, 5-4 sophomore guard.
Newcomers to watch: Natasha Basnight, 5-7 freshman forward; Janell Wiggins, 5-5 sophomore forward; Lavonne Cuffee, 5-4 freshman guard; Shannon Mitchell, 5-10 freshman center; Cherri Sowell, 5-7 junior forward.
Outlook: Quickness will make up for what the Bookers lack in the backcourt. If they can improve their rebounding, they could battle for second or third.
GRANBY
Coach: Berdell Wilson (12th year, 161-131)
Last year: 9-12 overall, 3-5 district.
Impact players: Nicole Jackson, 5-8 senior forward; Tanya Jones, 5-3 senior guard; Kristin Becker, 5-7 1/2 sophomore forward.
Newcomers to watch: Jacquetta Harrell, 5-2 sophomore guard; Sheena Inge, 5-10 junior center; Andrea Duvall, 5-4 freshman guard; Tasha Brown, 5-4 sophomore guard.
Outlook: The Comets return their top scorer, rebounder and point guard from last year, but they're still young and inexperienced. Wilson says his team must learn to keep its composure during close games.
NORVIEW
Coach: Don Lyons (11th year)
Last year: 1-15 overall, 0-8 district.
Impact players: Nadine Ward, 5-10 senior forward; Telesha Paterson, 5-11 sophomore center; Kamilah Ferebee, 5-6 junior guard.
Newcomers to watch: Jewonda Bright, 6-0 freshman center; Khara Willis, 5-8 freshman forward; Kim Fair, 5-7 sophomore guard; Melissa Reece, 5-7 sophomore forward; Nakia Weeks, 5-3 freshman guard.
Outlook: It'll be another rebuilding year for the Pilots, who only return three players from last year. Bright and Willis will have to develop quickly to help Norview put numbers in the win column. ILLUSTRATION: VIRGINIAN-PILOT FILE photo
District rookie of the year Juritus Thompson will anchor the Lake
Taylor backcourt.
by CNB