Pirates' Vega takes on new role

CRYSTAL RIVER -- Things were so much easier for Casandra Vega back then.

Back when she was a freshman at Crystal River. Back when she could simply rely on instincts, driving to the hoop or firing up three-pointers whenever she saw an opening.

Back when senior center Monique Bunch was there to clean up the mistakes and reel in the youngster when she strayed too far from the game plan.

"It's like I said to her (Monday)," Pirates coach Norris Lightsey said. "Remember when you were a freshman, when we had to back the seniors off for you? Well, it's the same thing this year. We have to bring (her teammates) along slowly until they can catch up with her."

Now, it's Vega's turn to play the role of leader.

Vega is a veteran now and must shoulder veteran responsibilities. In doing so, she will have to grow up fast and rein in the instincts that have guided her through her first two seasons.

Not too much, mind you, but just enough so that her teammates have time to catch on.

"It can be very tough for them when she's out there," Lightsey said. "She's stronger and faster than almost all of them and she's moving faster too. She wants to play at her speed and they just can't do that for long periods.

"Sometimes she forgets where she came from. When she was a freshman we had a veteran team and brought her along slowly. Now, we're asking her to do the same thing."

That's not necessarily an easy task for a player like Vega, who rarely takes her foot off the throttle. Vega led the Pirates scoring (9 points per game) and steals (3.7) last season and was third in rebounding (4.5) and second in assists (1.2).

"I'm ready to be a leader," Vega said. "But it's not going to be all that different. I'm still going to penetrate, but I've got to stay home a little bit because the other players might get confused. I'll have to talk and let them know where to go."

Vega will have to do more than talk, though. She will also have to score and score often if the Pirates are going to improve on last year's 4-21 record and return to the playoffs for the first time since 1999.

"She's going to have to carry a lot of weight offensively and defensively," Lightsey said. "But we've also got to get some of the younger players to play too. We've got to take some of the load off Cassandra."

Sophomore Jennifer McRae would be the obvious choice to fill that role. The 6-foot-2 McRae averaged 7.7 points and 5.6 rebounds in 2000 and will have some help this year from 5-8 freshman forward Ja'Vonna Grimsley.

Helping matters is the fact that this may be one of Crystal River's most athletic teams to date. Experience and leadership, it seems, are the only things holding the Pirates back right now.

"They have to step up," Vega said. "We're really quick this year and that's an advantage. Once we get everything settled we should be pretty good."

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright