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Charleston Lady Blue Jays a work in progress
After a series of lean years, the Charleston girls’ basketball is hoping to turn the tide.
With a solid core of returning players and a few promising but untested players, the Lady Blue Jays aim to rekindle the winning tradition that once defined the program.
“We want to play fast,” said Charleston coach Joshua Thompson. “We are going to pressure the ball from baseline to baseline and turn defense into offense. Our goal is to be in every game in the fourth quarter and hopefully, our pressure wears our opponents out.”
The program once boasted winning records in nine out of ten years from 2009 to 2019.
However, the team has endured five consecutive losing seasons since then, including back-to-back 3-23 campaigns.
“We have to get better at taking care of the ball and scoring,” Thompson said. “Last year, we only averaged 21 points a game as a team. This year, we have to double that to win.”
The Lady Blue Jays are now focused on reversing this trend and restoring their former glory.
The team is anchored by three returning starters: senior guard Treasure Kimble, senior guard Gabriell White, and senior center Akeelah Wilson.
“These three girls will make the core of our team for the third consecutive year,” Thompson said.
Kimble, the primary ball handler, averaged 5.5 points per game and 8.0 rebounds per game last season. White, the second-leading scorer with 5.4 points per game, showed significant improvement towards the end of last season, and the team hopes she can maintain that momentum. Wilson, a defensive stalwart, averaged 10.1 rebounds and had an impressive stretch in January with more than 20 rebounds in four consecutive games.
The Lady Blue Jays are also looking to their newcomers to make an impact. Freshman guard Holly Haynes is expected to help address the team’s struggles with ball handling and scoring.
Although it’s a lot to ask of a freshman, the coaching staff believes Haynes is up to the challenge.
Another newcomer, freshman guard Kahyrria Hines, is new to basketball but has already shown promise as a strong on-ball defender.
Additionally, the return of Daniyah Thomas and Ver’Nyia Haynes, who played their freshman year but sat out last season, brings further depth to the roster.
Thomas is expected to contribute to the scoring load and use her length and speed defensively, while Haynes will bolster the team’s ball handling and defense.
The team’s speed could be a key advantage over opponents. By pushing the pace and forcing turnovers, the Lady Blue Jays aim to wear down their opponents and create easy scoring opportunities.
“We want to wear out our opponents,” Thompson said. “Our goal is to be in every game in the fourth quarter, and hopefully, our pressure wears them down.”
As the Lady Blue Jays look to rebuild their program, they have set realistic goals for the upcoming season. The primary objective is to win at least 10 games and continue to develop their young talent.
“Our goal is to win 10 games this year and continue to build our program,” Thompson said. “We have 14 players this year, and eight of them are freshmen or sophomores. We have to make sure that we continue to raise our standards every day.”
Despite the challenges, Thompson is optimistic about the team’s potential. He believes that the team’s hard work and dedication will pay off in the long run.
“Last year, even though we only won three games, we played hard for 32 minutes every game,” Thompson concluded. “We have to keep doing that.”
Charleston will compete in Class 2, District 3 this season.