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Freedom girls take aim at top

The basketball team is off to a 17-0 start with an average margin of victory of 33 points a game.

By ROD GIPSON
Published January 13, 2006

NEW TAMPA - If the Freedom girls' basketball team had an early season checklist, it might go something like this:

Start the season undefeated. Check.

Claim the No. 1 spot on the first Class 5A state poll of the season. Check.

Beat Winter Haven. Stay tuned.

It may seem to be a case of getting ahead of themselves or even wishful thinking, but ask around the Freedom gym and talk doesn't linger much on the regular season or district seedings, but on one thing.

"Our goal is a state championship," Freedom coach Nancy Kroll said. "We keep things in perspective and we know we have work to do - but, yes, we expect to win the state championship."

And why not?

After last year's magical run that included a 28-2 record, a district championship and an appearance in the regional finals, the Patriots are thinking big. It may be hard not to. Freedom has rocketed off to a 17-0 start and its average margin of victory has been about 33 points.

The Patriots are on a roll, having beaten three high-ranking teams in the past three weeks. And they recently won the Keeler Memorial tournament at the Academy of Holy Names.

"Everyone is out to get us," said Tandra Faulkner, Freedom's starting guard and one of five senior starters. "Everyone in the district, everyone in the county . . . everyone is going to give us their best game every night."

So far, that hasn't mattered.

With her starters averaging nearly 60 points per game, Kroll's squad has managed expectations well. In addition to Faulkner's 19 points per outing, fellow guard Briana Nelson is averaging 12 points a game followed by starters Whitney Jennings (11 per game), Charkia Harvey (9 per game),and Morgan Farrington (8 per game).

"We've played well," Kroll said. "Very well at times. It all starts with the work ethic we bring to the gym every day whether it's a game or practice. We work hard and we make sacrifices."

In her second season at Freedom, Kroll established from Day 1 that the Patriots may lose to a better team but won't be outworked by anyone.

Freedom took the credo to heart, adopting a brutal up-tempo, nonstop attack on offense and defense.

The result has been obvious, highlighted with last season's deep playoff run and no losses to a Hillsborough County school in almost two seasons.

"We've definitely brought up the intensity level," said Kroll, who previously coached collegiately at Fairleigh Dickinson University and Hillsborough Community College. "This team has become unselfish and has learned that when we play together, we accomplish more."

Faulkner agreed, adding she has been a direct beneficiary of the Patriots' cohesiveness.

"We have played together for a few years now and it has helped a lot," she said.

"We have developed a lot of chemistry. Briana knows what I'm going to do before I do it. I know what she is going to do. We all know we are there for each other on the floor."

And about that checklist?

The Patriots did claim the No. 1 spot on the first Class 5A state poll of the season, although they're tied for second in the latest poll.

And they still might have to go through Winter Haven to win a state title.

"That Winter Haven game still sticks in my mind," said Faulkner of Freedom's 76-42 loss to Winter Haven two games shy of the state championship last season.

"We want to win state. There's no doubt about that - it's all we think about."

[Last modified January 12, 2006, 08:39:04]