Lady Sharks Counting On Veteran-Laden Team To Replace Nation’s Top Scorer
The Lady Sharks are coming off one of their best performances in recent years at the Florida College System Activities Association State Tournament.
They reached the Final Four but lost 71-64 to Gulf Coast State College in the semi-final game on March 6 in Niceville, Florida.
That night, they lost more than just a game.
Combo-guard Daliyah Brown—who averaged 26.6 points, 9.1 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game for the Lady Sharks last year while leading the nation in scoring—suited up for the last time for MDC before transferring to Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.
“She was our leader,” said sophomore guard Ahmari Young. “Everything we did was through her.”
This season the team is relying on nine returning players and five new additions to fill Brown’s void.
The new additions include: guards Mikera Patton from Southeast High School in Bradenton and Jamaica Williams from Meade Senior High School in Maryland. It also includes three international players: guards Camila Barreno from Ecuador and Amanda de la sene Cruz from Brazil, and center Zaccheaus Oluwatunmise from Nigeria.
“I like that we all come from different places because we bring to the team different personalities and styles,” Barreno said.
Returning players include forwards Nazlah Morrow (14.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game) and Alise Markova (six points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.75 blocks per game) and guards Ahmari Young (10.9 points per game) and Anija Payne (5.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game).
Point guard Rio Yamazaki, who averaged 10.3 points and five assists in nine games last year before missing 23 games due to a broken left wrist, is also back.
Head Coach Susan Summons believes the squad will build off last year’s 20-12 record if they work on their communication skills and build the cohesiveness they lacked last year.
“Developing more team chemistry and learning how to play with each [of] the new players is the key,” Summons said. “They are hungry, more confident, and know they must work harder [to] close out games strong.”
Last season, the Lady Sharks averaged 79.7 points and 49.1 rebounds per game but had problems staying consistent. The best example is a 61-51 loss versus Broward College—a team that won only six games last year.
The team is now focused on this season.
They started practice in September but center Larissa Abreu and de la sene Cruz have been unable to join the team due to travel restrictions in Brazil. They missed the team’s first scrimmage, a 64-52 loss against DME Academy in Daytona Beach on Oct. 17.
The Lady Sharks will travel to Fort Myers on Nov. 21 to play against St. Petersburg College at the Florida Southwestern State College Scrimmage Classic, and will host Florida National University on Dec. 14 before starting the regular season at the Theodore R. Gibson Health Center, 11011 S.W. 104th St, versus DME Academy on Jan. 20 at 5:30 p.m.
“I think that everybody will just have to step up and take on their own role on the team,” Morrow said. “I expect us to be conference champions, win regionals, move on to nationals, and take nationals.”
