TENINO — As a former star on the hardwood at Elma High School, second year Tenino girls basketball coach Brandi Thomas knows all too well how harried the competition can become in the 1A Evergreen League.
“I truly believe that anything can happen on any given night which makes this league so exciting to play in,” Thomas said.
After coaching the Beavers to victory in the first five games of her coaching career last year, and seven wins in their first eight games, the ups and downs of the 1A Evergreen League and its constant barrage of high stakes rivalry games began to take its toll. Following a midseason swoon however the Beavers managed to finish the season 11-10 overall and squeaked into the playoffs with the final seed by defeating Forks in their final regular season contest.
This year Tenino hopes to get off to a similar hot start and then sustain their success for a playoff run with teeth. Their ability to chew up their competition will largely hinge on the play of the Beavers’ four returning players; Kaylee Schow, Rhian Mathis, Charlie Letts and Allana Dowies.
“They have grown so much both as individuals and as players and have also developed greater leadership roles,” noted Thomas.
Schow, a guard, and Mathis, a forward, have each proven their knack for putting the ball in the hoop and this year the rest of the Beavers will be chomping at the bit to help fill out the rest of the stat columns. Letts will handle the point guard duties for Tenino while Dowies, the only returner who did not start last year, is looking to work into the fold with her teammates.
“We will try to control the tempo and have more patience on the offensive end,” said Thomas. “We are more defensively oriented, as a big focus of ours is rebounding and not giving our opponent second and third opportunities.”
As a second year coach Thomas is excited to put on display a few new skills around the bench that she picked up during her first season holding the clipboard. For instance, Thomas says that she’s, “...learning to be more patient and breaking things down in a way that each player can understand what we are trying to accomplish.”
One of her main reminders for her team so far has been, “Controlling what WE can control,” explained Thomas.
With only seven players on their roster this season Tenino will also be looking for contributions from junior forward Maria Collins, and the freshman trio of Molly Bertsch, Bailey Greene and Molly Craig.
Thomas says she expects her alma mater to be the toughest team in the league this year and she included two of the Eagles stalwarts on her players to watch list. Thomas noted that Elma’s Molly Johnston can dominate the key and post area while her teammate, Quin Mickel, is a strong competitor with an overactive motor.
“They have a lot of height on their team, yet they also do a good job playing pressure defense,” said Thomas.
