Scrimmages set this week
By Donnie A. Lucas
A total of 40 high school girls showed up on Monday for the first day of two-a-day practices, which will give coach M.J. Reneau the opportunity to put three full teams on the court this season.
The teams have continued practicing a total of five hours each day through Thursday (today), with varsity scrimmages set for Friday and scrimmage matches for all three teams on Saturday in Breckenridge.
Albany’s varsity will host Benjamin at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, followed by a 1:00 p.m. scrimmage against Lingleville. Benjamin and Lingleville will face off at 12:00 noon.
The action will start at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, with the JV II playing Wichita Falls Hirschi High School’s freshmen. Albany’s JV II will face the Breckenridge freshmen at 12:00 noon in the Auxiliary Gym, while the JV I girls play Hirschi’s JV at the same time in the Main Gym.
The varsity Lady Lions will play Hirschi’s varsity at 1:00 p.m. in the Main Gym, followed by a bout against the varsity Lady Bucks at 2:00 p.m. in the Main Gym.
Albany’s JV I will play Breckenridge’s JV at 2:00 p.m. in the Auxiliary Gym.
The local Summer Slam Tournament normally scheduled at the end of the second week of the season has been cancelled due to a ruling by the University Interscholastic League to eliminate all tournaments across the state in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
To provide teams with more time on the court, UIL is allowing teams to play three games each week instead of just two. One game can be played during the school week – typically on Tuesday – while the other two must be played after the end of the school day on Friday or on Saturday.
So far, Albany has added a game on Friday, Aug. 28 against Colorado City.
Reneau said that she was very pleased with the way practices are going.
“We have a really good group this year, with good attitudes and a really strong bunch of returning players,” she said.
The coach said there are eight seniors (seven returning from last year’s varsity), along with four underclassmen on the varsity this season.
“These girls are bringing lots of experience with them, and they already have a great chemistry, which is evident when you see them on the court,” the coach said. “They all love the game, which makes it so much fun to coach them.”
Due to the number returning to varsity, Reneau said that the level of court awareness is already at a higher level, along with the players knowing the defense from last year.
“They are all very excited and ready to play,” she said.
The coach said that extra precautions are being taken to attempt to keep players and coaches safe from the spread of the virus.
“We are making the girls use hand sanitizer during each break, we are wiping down the balls and equipment at least twice during each practice, and the locker rooms are closed at this point to limit players from close quarters,” Reneau said.
She explained that fans will also notice that during games, the teams will use a three-ball system that has a sanitized ball entered on the court after every point.
The coach said that she was notified that concession stands will be allowed, but fans will have to comply with a new ticket system and social distancing in the stands. Those new rules have not been announced by the school.
