The Lady Mustangs of West Orange-Stark are under a new head coach as Tiffany McFatter has taken the reins this season. She takes over from Randy Ragsdale after serving one year as his assistant.
Coach McFatter has three returners from last season’s team and a familiar face coming back to the Lady Mustangs. Gabby Robinson a senior, Diamond Judge a sophomore, and another senior Kristen Jackson all have experience on the varsity. McFatter is excited Ariah O’Neil has moved back into the West Orange-Stark school district. Coach McFatter states, “She’s going to do a great deal for us handling the ball this year and being our point guard.”
There are some young ladies McFatter has moving up to the West Orange-Stark varsity this season. Moving up from the junior varsity is guard Roynisha Wade and she will also help out in handling and shooting the ball. Alissa Brown is a giant according to the coach and will help the Lady Mustangs a whole lot in their post game. Brown is learning to be more aggressive which will help. Marjai Rawls is a real go-getter and is a defensive specialist. She is a senior with quick feet and can be put on an opponent to guard that player to get the ball back for the Lady Mustangs. A freshman on the varsity who has been a surprise is Ke’shaunaia Winbush. McFatter indicates Winbush is not afraid to get into it with the upper class girls. The coach believes Winbush will be a great asset now and in years to come.
The first task for Coach McFatter in her initial season as head coach is to teach and help the girls learn how to win. She shares how those early lessons are sinking in for the West Orange-Stark Lady Mustangs. Consistence was missing in the first few games as the Lady Mustangs could not get their shots to fall, but the girls are spending time in the gym working on their shooting.
West Orange-Stark won three straight including two in the Nederland Tournament. The third in a row was over Jasper which was a huge victory for the girls and Coach McFatter. “They learned the importance of free throws during that game. It was a really big eye opener for them, and it was a big eye opener for me that they actually knew what they were doing now and they actually grasped those concepts. So, that was a big coaching win for me that they actually grasped those concepts that we’ve been teaching them,” McFatter confesses.
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Last season was admittedly a disappointment for Coach Tramaine Hancock and the West Orange-Stark basketball team. The Mustangs tied for fourth, but lost the play-in game to cross-town rival LC-M for a trip to the playoffs.
Hancock is glad to have two players back from that team to lead the Mustangs this season. Kentavious Miller at point guard is a senior and has been with the coach for three years. Miller is expected to have a breakout season for West Orange-Stark. Cory Skinner will be at the other guard when he comes off the football team. Skinner has really blossomed as an athlete this year. Hancock reminds, “I am looking forward to those two guys for sure coming off the football field and giving me something instantly.”
As it is every season the West Orange-Stark basketball season starts with many of its players unavailable to be on the court because they are still on the gridiron playing football. Jalen Mathews, Jarron Morris, Morris Joseph, and Mandel King all will be positive additions to the Mustangs’ roster after the football season comes to an end.
There are two young men that Coach Hancock has who only play basketball for the Mustangs. Bretlin White was all-district second team last year as just a freshman. White is carrying a heavy load until the players come off the football team. Tarek Riley needs to grow into his ability that Hancock sees as his possibility. Hancock is hoping Riley at some point this season will become the player the coach needs him to be and his team needs him to be.
Previous seasons the district games for West Orange-Stark started on the heels of the football playoffs. Hancock indicates that has changed this season. The district games will start January 10 which will give the Mustangs some time to work their football players into the mix on the basketball team. Hancock predicts, “I look forward to playing in late March. We’ve got the talent, we’ve got the skill set, it’s just the fact of going out there and making it happen.”
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