THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 20, 1996 TAG: 9610180223
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 25 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY REA FARMER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 82 lines
``Our coach is really good this year. She brings a lot of new plays to the team. The girls coming up have a lot of talent. I think they'll help us out a lot this year.''
WHEN THE Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools girls basketball season was still in the practice stage, Nansemond-Suffolk Academy senior Ann Murden analyzed the upcoming season and her teammates.
She made the above statement. She was correct on all counts.
The Portsmouth native has joined with her sister, April, to power the Saints to the top of the TCIS standings. Through Wednesday, the team was 6-0 in the conference and 14-2 overall.
Ann Murden, 17, had taken a back row to upperclassmen during her past three seasons at N-SA.
This year, she has stepped to the forefront, running new coach Kim Aston's offense and dominating the scoring attack. Murden ranks second in the TCIS in scoring average with 18.2 points per game.
``I'm playing everywhere really,'' Murden said. ``It's hard, because I'm not really used to being the person to score. I feel like this year I have to score a lot more and be a leader on the team.
``Last year, we'd all been together at least two or three years. This year, we have a different style of basketball. We're playing zone, last year it was all man-to-man.''
Last year was also when the Saints posted a 23-2 record, won the regular-season title but fell in the tournament.
The championship was on the tips of their fingers. The Saints were leading Norfolk Academy when the Bulldogs hit a buzzer-beating shot in overtime to take the tournament title. Murden was on the bench in the closing seconds. She has placed that game and that title firmly in her past.
``After the game, I just put it off to the side,'' she said.
She set her sights on winning the title this season and has worked to help the Saints attain that goal. A tenacious player, Aston highlights Murden's defensive abilities as key to the N-SA game plan.
``She takes the ball to the basket strongly, is a good shooter and plays aggressive defense,'' Aston said. ``I think that came from AAU play. When she's out there, she, by far, stands out on defense. She's been playing in the shadows of people here.''
Murden spent her summer working out in the Boo Williams AAU program, facing top area players. She entered the preseason conditioned and ready to take on challengers.
And playing with her little sister, April, for the first time.
``I've always wanted to play with her,'' Ann Murden said. ``We help each other out.''
April, a freshman, shares a starting role with Ann.
``It's been fun,'' she said of playing with her older sister. ``I never really played with her before. It's probably even better than I thought it would be.''
The Saints are making a solid run for the regular season title and should be tough in the tournament.
``We haven't been playing that well lately,'' April said. ``We started out with a lot more enthusiasm, but I think we're getting that back.''
This year, Ann Murden doesn't want to settle for second place.
``The team goal is to work together,'' she said. ``It's sort of a new team, we'll have to be able to work together as a team to get the championship.''
No matter the outcome, two things are certain. Murden's preseason predictions were correct.
And when it comes down to that final shot, Ann Murden won't be sitting on the bench. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by L. TODD SPENCER
From left, Catholic's Diane Koucheravy guards a Nansemond-Suffolk
player while N-SA senior Ann Murden goes for the goal and her
sister, April, is ready for the rebound during a recent conference
game.
[Photo by L. TODD SPENCER
AT RIGHT: Ann Murden of Nansemond-Suffolk Academy shows her winning
style against Catholic. The senior, who has taken a back seat to
upperclassmen the past three seasons, is one of the top performers
in the TCIS this season.
This photo ran in the Portsmouth Currents version of this story of
the same date]
KEYWORDS: TCIS GIRLS BASKETBALL by CNB