Tigerettes are poised to roar

PRINCETON — Princeton Senior High School coach Debbie Ball is enthusiastic about the prospects for the Tigerettes’ 2012-2013 basketball season.

“If we play hard and play as a cohesive unit, I think this team can be highly successful,” she said.

The West Virginia Coaches Association’s preseason poll lists Princeton eighth among AAA

schools. Tigerette opponents that are rated higher are George Washington (third), Spring Valley (fourth), and Huntington (sixth). Two Princeton foes that received votes, Woodrow Wilson and South Charleston, are positioned below the Tigerettes. Two Princeton AA opponents, Pikeview (fifth) and Summers County (eighth), are ranked.

Coach Ball listed shooting, team quickness (physical and mental), experience (eight seniors), and the backcourt as some of the team’s strengths.

In terms of talent, experience, and depth, the Tigerettes arguably have the strongest backcourt in the state. Three players (McKenzie “Zee” Akers, Hannah Preservanti, and Jessica Inman), can play point guard efficiently. Five players (Marissa Mullens, Zee Akers, Jessica Inman, Hannah Preservanti, and Stephanie Lambert) can launch outside shots with reasonable accuracy.

Another team strength is their versatility. Seven team members can play in the backcourt as well as the frontcourt. Perhaps the player most adaptable to playing dual roles is Preservanti. She usually plays in the frontcourt. In one game last season when starting point guard Zee Akers was injured, Hannah stepped into her role, scored in double digits, and dished out an impressive 10 assists.

The major issue confronting Princeton this season appears to be the lack of height in the front court, which hampers rebounding efforts. Rachel Surface is the only Tigerette who stands over 5 feet 9 inches. Ball is hopeful that aggressiveness, athletic ability and focus will compensate for the undersized front court.

Discussed below are thumbnail sketches of members of the varsity listed alphabetically.

• McKenzie Akers (senior, 5 feet, 7 inches). The fiery point guard is on track, barring injury or illness, to become the Tigerettes’ career leading scorer by midseason. Last year, she earned first team All-State honors by posting 20.5 points per game, 7 assists per game, and 4.6 rebounds per contest. She has committed to play college ball at Marshall University. During the off season, Akers has substantially improved her outside shooting to better complement her exciting drives to the hoop. Zee is also a fine defensive player.

• Ashley Culicerto (junior, 5 feet, 9 inches). Ashley is a quick and athletic player. Last season, she led the strong junior varsity squad with double digit scoring. She has a scorer’s mentality. This fall she was a member of Princeton’s outstanding soccer squad.

• Jessica Inman (senior, 5 feet, 8 inches). After a strong sophomore season, Jessica opted to skip her junior hoop season to concentrate on soccer. Subsquently, she was named to the first team All-State soccer team and was selected as the Defensive Player of Year. This season she returns to basketball. On the court, she is a strong defender. She is a smart player who works hard. Also, Jessica is a good shooter.

• Stephanie Lambert (senior, 5 feet, 6 inches). Stephanie is a hard worker, aggressive, and a strong defender. She does a lot of the “dirty work,” such as setting screens that don’t make the stat sheet but are essential for a successful team. Lambert was also a member of the soccer team.

• Marissa Mullens (senior, 5 feet, 4 inches). Last season the team’s "mighty mite" consistently surprised her opposition who underestimated her skill set. She responded by leading the team in three-point goals and averaged 12.6 points per skirmish. Marissa is super quick and plays with a lot of grit and determination. Mullens received All-Conference recognition this past season.

• Khadija Payne (senior, 5 feet, 7 inches). Khadija is very athletic and handles the ball well for a predominantly frontcourt player. Despite her relative lack of height, she has a nose for rebounds. Much of rebounding success is based on effort. Khadija has that trait in abundance.

• Hannah Preservait (senior, 5 feet, 8 inches). Earlier in the year Hannah sustained an ACL injury. It may take a few games for her to reach her normal playing level. The highly skilled, athletic Preservati has received All-State honorable mention recognition the past two seasons. Last year, she tallied 13 points a contest while grabbing over five rebounds per game. She is a strong defender.

• Brandy Snow (sophomore, 5 feet, 7 inches). Brandy, like Preservati, is recovering from an ACL operation. The talented Snow, a hard worker, scored in double digits with the junior varsity team last season.

• Rachel Surface (senior, 6 feet). Rachel is a hard worker and one of the most coachable players on the team. She is a strong rebounder and defender. Last season, in a reserve role, Rachel hauled in an impressive four boards per game.

• Miranda Wimmer (senior, 5 feet 8 inches). Miranda runs the court well and takes good shots. She handles the ball with her right hand, but shoots with the left confusing defenders.

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Tigerettes are poised to roar

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