TRINITY - Mitchell, battling in a three-team district with River Ridge and Land O'Lakes, gets a second shot at the Gators on Friday, and coach Stephanie Baldwin expects her young team to fare better than it did in a 66-45 loss in December.
A big reason? Her backcourt consists of three freshmen - Taylor Lunin, Kristi Hopper and Joanna Bussa - and sophomore Turquoise Sampson, and all four have gained valuable court time since their first district game.
"So much of it is just experience and playing together," said Baldwin, whose team had won five games in a row heading into Wednesday's home game against Zephyrhills.
The Mustangs (10-4) won their first meeting with River Ridge by a point on a last-second layup by Sampson, so they understand the pros and cons of playing in a three-team district: It's easier to get into the regional playoffs but also dangerously easy to miss out.
Baldwin, whose team went 12-14 last season, said her team's younger players have shined because of their well-roundedness, picking up their defense when their shots aren't falling. She has had stability from experienced players inside, led by seniors Amanda Casler and Sarah Kelly and junior Alyssa Lunin.
RUSTPROOF: Pasco hadn't played in more than three weeks when the Pirates hosted Hernando in a key district game Tuesday. Pasco picked up where they left off, cruising to a 57-32 win and led by 18 points from senior guard Alicia Badger.
"For not playing in almost a month, everyone was playing and passing well," said coach Tony Vasquez, whose team hadn't suited up since beating Mitchell on Dec. 18. "There were some spells where we missed some gimmies, but it felt good just to knock the rust off. Now we're trying to get back in shape."
The Pirates (8-1) took their lone conference loss early against Gulf, on a night when they went 1-for-19 on 3-point attempts. But after a 53-30 win against South Sumter on Tuesday, they're undefeated in district play halfway through the eight-game season, with the added advantage of having the Class 3A District 6 tournament on their court next month. Badger scored 19 against the Red Raiders on Tuesday, with Caitlin Elliott adding 11 with three 3-pointers.
RAMS ROLLING: Ridgewood, fresh off a 79-59 win at Gulf on Tuesday, has won nine straight heading into a home district game Friday against Wesley Chapel. Senior Crystal Ayers went into Tuesday's game averaging 15.3 and helped that figure with a 25-point outburst against the Bucs, supported by 13 points from Jen Barrett and 16 from Jamie Surmin.
Coach Greg Bollinger said he has been impressed with the progress shown from Ridgewood's lesser-known players, such as Felicia Hunt and Caitlin Morrison, who have given the Rams more consistent play in the post. Hunt, who averages 4.3 points and 4.1 rebounds, stepped up for 11 in a holiday tournament game against Blake.
The Rams are known for stars such as Ayers, but Bollinger said his depth - with 10 players in his regular rotation - has given him confidence, especially after tight tournament games such as a win against King that saw the Rams break a late tie with 11 unanswered points.
