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Girls basketball

By JOHN C. COTEY
Published January 23, 2007

Mitchell vs. Academy of the Holy Names 7 tonight

The best team in Pasco, Mitchell, takes on arguably the best team in Hillsborough, Academy of the Holy Names, tonight at 7 p.m. The game has no conference or district implications, so the only thing on the line is pride. But it should be fun when two teams that like to run and gun hook up in Tampa.

These should be some of the best matchups:

Mitchell senior forward Kristi Hopper vs. AHN senior guard Gianna Messina

Messina is one of the best guards in all of Tampa Bay. She averages 23.3 points, 12.6 rebounds and is a dangerous shooter inside and outside. She plays much bigger than her 5-foot-6 frame would suggest. And she is a good defensive player as well, heading up the AHN press and pushing the ball in the Jaguars' high-octane offense.

Hopper, though, has been excellent in Mitchell's toughest games this season. She had 30 against Boca Ciega a team with fast guards, 25 against Wesley Chapel and 25 in the first meeting with Land O'Lakes. Even in Mitchell's only loss, she had 18 of her team's 40 points.

Messina has made 43 of 112 3-pointers; Hopper has hit on 48-of-129. Whoever shoots them best tonight will give her team a huge boost.

Mitchell guards Taylor Lunin and Joanna Bussa vs. AHN point guard Catriana Messina

Catriana Messina averages eight assists a game, a little more than Lunin and Bussa have combined for. She pushes the ball up the court and sets up transition hoops better than just about anyone.

If Mitchell fights fire with fire - and they do like to run the ball themselves - the ability of Lunin and Bussa to turn things from defense to offense for the Mustangs will be huge, as will hustling back after a Mitchell miss.

Mitchell junior forward LaToya Hillmon vs. the Messina sisters

We're not sure if Hillmon will draw the duty of covering Gianna, but if coach Stephanie Koslin put her on Sthefany Thomas in the season opener, then why not?

Hilmon is a 5-8, in-your-face defender and is confident enough to think she can stop any team's top scorer. Whether she has faced anyone with the Messina sisters' skills (other than Thomas, of course) is debatable.

Mitchell sophomore center Sarah Bernard vs. everyone else

AHN is small. Every starter is 5-7 or smaller, and they play a lineup most of the time than consists of five guards. It will be up to Bernard, the only 6-footer that will see action on either roster, to claim the paint as her own. She'll have lots of help from Hillmon, a good rebounder, but she'll have to be wary of the smaller but quicker AHN forwards.

John C. Cotey can be reached at cotey@sptimes.com or (727) 869-6261

[Last modified January 22, 2007, 22:18:51]