Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Lady Go-Devils Ready

Sandra Hatley has the Lady Go-Devils ready for the 1999-2000 basketball season.

The team returns three seniors, all of whom started last year, and has five juniors along with five sophomores.

"I feel we have a good team," she said, "but we're still small." The tallest Lady Devil stands 5-10.

But, the lack of height is offset by the team's overall quickness. The Lady Devils move across the court like water bugs on a pond.

Hatley plans to play a pressure man defense, but will adjust as game situations dictate. The Lady Devils, she said, will be aggressive on defense.

This year, she said, the team has more bench depth than it has had, the only problem is the Lady Devils have a short bench with a total of 13 players.

The three seniors and two of the juniors will be the likely starters, though Hatley will go to the bench to get the sophomores some valuable minutes.

She said the team looked good at a recent scrimmage against the Lady Outlaws of Dierks, where they also played a bit against Bismarck's Lady Lions.

"We looked good in spots, but there are areas where we need work," she said.

Tiffany Ware is the probable starter in the post position along with Tonya Russey. Angela Walker and Crystal Williams are two of the guards, while Brandi Escalante and Vanesha Young are expected to handle the forward positions.

Quickness, Hatley said, is the team's strength at this point. "With our lack of height, we'll have to use our quickness."

The Lady Devils have accepted an invitation to participate in one of the best girls tournaments in this part of the country the Lovelady, Texas, Invitational.

This tourney will be held over the Thanksgiving holidays with the Lady Devils tangling with teams from six states. Two other Arkansas squads will be there as Little Rock Central and Drew Central have also accepted invitations to the tilt.

Other states involved include Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, New Mexico and Iowa.

Hatley said Gurdon is guaranteed to play at least three games.

One of the most important aspects of this tourney is college scouts regularly attend and it gives the girls great exposure.

The Lady Devils, when they take to the court, will have shooters, Hatley said. Last year the team's field goal percentage was down, but the crew has been working on it this season.

This year's group, she said, is working as a team, with no one identifiable leader. The girls work to pick one another up and pull together as a single unit.

However, she added, the seniors can be counted on to provide on-court leadership because of their experience.

In discussing other teams in the league, she said Genoa Central and Blevins will be tough to beat, while Stephens is always competitive.

Lewisville could be a surprise, with Nevada always being a good team.

"We'll be in the hunt," she said, "and I feel confident we should finish close to the top."

Hatley talks to the team as though they are her own children. She works to help teach them life skills and life lessons as well as basketball.

The seniors, she said, have the academic skills to attend college anywhere.

"We're ready to play," she said. "A lot of the girls canceled plans they had to go to the jamboree in Dierks."

The Lady Devils opened their season Tuesday night against an old and familiar foe as they traveled to Prescott to tangle with the Wolverettes.

Gurdon's next game will also be on the road as they have a date Friday, Nov. 19, with the Lady Red Devils of Lewisville.