Mead Seniors Comfortable As Basketball Team Leaders
No one said it would be easy, but with the most important part of the basketball season at hand, Holly Turner and Jennifer Bennett have become comfortable as Mead’s team leaders.
Both played a part on two state tournament teams, including last year’s championship, and knew they would have to accept larger roles this year if the Panthers hoped to make another return to state.
Pressure only increased after both accepted scholarships to Division I colleges before the season began.
“After playing with Stacy (Clinesmith) as the leader the last two years, I kind of had to force myself to do things I wouldn’t have done last year,” said Turner, who will attend Gonzaga next season.
Turner has responded as Mead’s leading scorer with 14 points a game.
“It’s nice to play on a team where you feel more confident in your role,” said Bennett, who is headed for Arizona State next year. “Two years as a role player made it harder. It’s nice to be a leader and take more offense as part of it.”
The 6-foot-3 Bennett is averaging just under 10 points a game and when she has played entire games, she grabs that many rebounds.
Mead heads into tonight’s last game of the regular season with a 17-2 record, 14-1 in the Greater Spokane League. The Panthers have a spot in the regional tournament locked up but that is their only guarantee when they play their first game in the district tournament next Thursday.
“Our team never talks about state,” Turner said. “It’s the ‘S word.’ (Coach Jeanne Helfer) hates the ‘S word.’ We just worry about the next game. (But) people would be surprised if we didn’t make it, because of the Mead name, and we would be disappointed.”
Turner, a 5-foot-10 shooting guard, has to continue to score well, or even increase her average since there won’t been any easy games where she can get by with two points and sit out half a game.
“I feel like my role is to push the ball up the floor, take it to the hole and draw fouls,” said Turner, a near-90 percent free throw shooter. “I need to get to the line more. I take my 3’s whenever I’m open, when they come. I’m working on mixing it up so I’m not predictable.”
Turner has always been a dangerous scorer, as evidenced by some big games off the bench as a sophomore when the Panthers were fifth at state.
Many people had thought she would be filling up baskets at Central Valley High. Her sister Aimee was on CV’s undefeated 1993 state championship team, but the Turners moved to the North Side before Holly’s sophomore season.
“I’m still really good friends with the (CV) girls,” Turner said. “I don’t think they feel anything bad. I would have had fun playing with them but I’m glad with my decision for more than playing basketball.”
As it turned out, both the Turners won state titles as juniors. Holly would like to do her sister one better.
She is a good defensive player, and it helps to have Bennett as a safety net.
“It has to start with defense,” Bennett said. “Our best games are when I stop other teams from penetrating. Also, rebounding is always there, but I need to score more consistently.”
It’s coming, she has been in double figures in eight of her last 10 games.
Turner is confident the Panthers can do as well as last year, although only three out of eight teams make it from regional to state.
“I have total confidence in the team this year, just like last year’s team,” Turner said. “We will need to focus on one day at a time, focus on the little things. We can win it again.”
They just need to follow the leaders.
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