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Wildcat is exactly where she needs to be
By JAMAL THALJI, Times Staff Writer
WESLEY CHAPEL -- Brenna Lane is not a point guard. She just plays one on the court. Lane is actually a point-forward, a hybrid role assumed this season by the three-year veteran to help lead the county's most downtrodden program out of its doldrums. Wesley Chapel is the surprise of the county, winning four games this season. That's more victories than the program earned in its first three seasons combined, when the Wildcats went 3-66. That's 0-23, 0-23 and 3-23. But now the Wildcats (4-6) have a new coach, Mark Kopp, new players and new hope. Anything would top the bad old days, Lane said. "They were pretty hard, but we just had to learn to get through them," she said. "It wasn't too hard for me because I like to play. But it was hard on my teammates. "Now I see a difference in everything. We're more into it now, we want to play more." Lane's transition was easy. Kopp asked her to play the point. Lane's response: "Whatever you want." But Lane is not a typical point guard. A 5-foot-9 junior, she should be at the power forward spot, inside the paint, waiting for the ball and the bank shot off the glass. But Wesley Chapel's two sophomore point guards aren't ready to lead the varsity team. Desiree Bagamary and Octavia Harrison are the point guards of the future. "Both are quick, athletic and can shoot the lights out," Kopp said. But for now they come off the bench, because their coach wants a more experienced hand to guard the ball and guard against turnovers. Lane's experience, her athleticism, and her enthusiasm made her Kopp's obvious choice to take care of the ball and run the Wildcats' offense. Even if her playmaking skills aren't quite so obvious. "She's a third-year player, and she's one we count on a lot," Kopp said. "She's got great size and she's very strong. She's definitely my strongest kid. "She's playing out of position because we really need a point guard, (even though) she's not a true point guard." Lane does it by crashing the paint. She finds the open spot inside on the offense, drives to the hoop and will either take her own shot or create an open shot for a teammate. Her own shot is pretty good on its own. Her 10.1 points per game lead the team, and she averages 5.2 rebounds a game. The key to Wesley Chapel's turnaround, she said, lies in more than an improvement in talent, participation and attitude. "I think we're communicating more," she said. "I think we're running our plays better. We're bonding a lot more."
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