MIA Girls Basketball Concentrate on Fundamentals

Rookie Marco Island Academy girls basketball coach Delaney Southers had the opportunity to coach her inexperienced squad through two vastly different home games this week, dropping a heartbreaking 30-29 decision to Southwest Florida Christian Academy on Tuesday, January 2, then suffering a 53-25 blowout loss to Cypress Lake on Friday. But she knows it’s all part of the learning process.

The SFCA game was tight all the way, with the Rays (2-6) trimming the lead to one point on numerous occasions but failing to overcome the Kings (1-8). The Rays beat the Kings, 49-39, earlier this season.

“It was a tough game,” Southers said. “They came out really strong, but I think we have a lot of fresh, young, new talent on our team. Repetition and games and a lot of practice is how our players end up coming together. We can put it all together when we're out on the floor. We came out strong. We just didn't come out at the very end. It was very close the entire game. We had to focus in on some of their key shooters. They had some good outside shooters. That's why we ran our three-two up top. We had to try to cut down on their three pointers. We fought hard and tried hard till the very end and only came up one short.”

The Cypress Lake game was a different story as the Panthers (8-4), a winning Class 5A team, were just too much for the Rays, who typically compete in Class 2A. Cypress Lake jumped out to a big lead early and never looked back. The Rays did, however, trim the lead to 10 points early in the second half. MIA competes as a freelance school, choosing not to compete in the state tournament in boys and girls basketball. 

Though shaky as ball handlers and shooters, the young Rays are a solid rebounding team that hustles on defense.

“We do have some solid post players down low,” Southers said, "so they are able to get the rebounds. They're strong with it. They can go right back up with it. Amelia Sanchez, she's only a sophomore, but she has a lot of potential. She's our main rebounder on the team. They tend to shut her down in the paint, so she can't get a lot of shots up. But once she gets going, she's on fire with it.”

Southers has identified areas where her team needs the most work.

"Since we're such a young team,” Southers said, "I'm trying to really focus on fundamentals this year. So really breaking down taking care of the ball with good passes. We’re doing a lot of dribbling drills, learning to dribble with your right hand, learning with your left hand, keeping your eyes up. Really a lot of fundamentals which will all come together eventually.”

The Rays have five sophomores and a junior on their roster. Only twins Katelin and Emily Reisinger and Lyndsay Lowdermilk are seniors. Sanchez averages 11 points a game and Lowdermilk 10 to lead the Rays.

Southers played high school basketball against one of MIA’s Paradise Coast Athletic Conference foes, Donahue Catholic. She was also an athlete at Ave Maria University, where she was a member of the golf team and played intramural basketball.

"I've played since I was in fourth grade,” she said, "my whole family played - parents, siblings, aunts, uncles. I played intramural in college as well. I also assistant coached when I was in college. Once I graduated, I always wanted to be a coach. So I luckily got this job with a great group of girls.”

MIA hosted North Fort Myers, another big school foe, Monday, after the Coastal Breeze News deadline. They travel to Moore Haven on January 22, then return home to host Everglades City on January 25.