By Kyle LoJacono
The Academy at the Lakes girls basketball team has undergone a radical change the last few years.
Three seasons ago the Wildcats (7-0) went 0-15 and were looking for their first playoff berth. Now they are going for their third straight district championship and consecutive trips to the Class 2A final four.
Karim Nohra, who is in his third season coaching the academy, doesn’t let his player go too long without letting them know what the Wildcats’ new reputation is.
“Everyone wants a piece of you, you know why? Because you’re Academy at the Lakes, and being Academy at the Lakes comes with responsibility,” Nohra told his squad at the end of a recent practice.
A second regional championship and a return to states in Lakeland will fall on the shoulders of a new cast. The Wildcats graduated five seniors, including four starters.
Among those gone are their leaders in points (Amelia Oliver, 18.9*), assists (Samantha Fernandez, 8.4*) and rebounds (Yvanessa Vincent, 11.0*), all of who signed to play in college.
“Last year’s team was really special,” said senior forward Andrea Mauger, the lone returning starter. “The starting five had a lot of chemistry. We had a special bond. This year it’s more like getting to know each other. Teaching the new girls and being patient is a big thing. I’m trying to prepare them mentally to get to Lakeland. Physically we have potential. It’s can they make it through the pressure of the regional finals.”
In that way, the team is in a similar position as last year.
Oliver and Fernandez transferred from Sunlake and Oldsmar Christian for their senior season, repetitively.
“Last year breaking in a couple new girls was tough initially,” Nohra said. “We knew we’d have to wait a few weeks. I was hoping we’d be ready to break through by January, and we did.”
Mauger (21.1 points, 5.0 rebounds) is back for her third year starting with the squad. She is the Wildcats’ leading scorer and sits at 1,220 points for her career.
Two of the new starters are center Tatiana Manuel (11.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 blocks) and point guard Timecia Cohen (13.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 5.0 steals).
Cohen, a senior, was with the squad last year, but tore the ACL in her right knee last October.
“I was at every game last year,” Cohen said. She added, “It was very frustrating. I wanted to be out there, but I couldn’t. I pushed my girls, and this year I think we can get back to Lakeland and the final four. Got so much to prove.”
Nohra said Cohen gives the squad flexibility.
“Right now Timecia is running point, but we also play her all over the court,” Nohra said. “She can play forward, on the wing, at shooting guard or point.”
Manuel, a senior, transferred from Brooks-DeBartolo, where she averaged 11.7 points, 7.6 blocks, 7.4 rebounds and 2.5 steals last year. Her 6-foot-2 frame gives the Wildcats height it has lacked.
“It gives us more of an intimidating front,” Mauger said. “In the paint she’s unstoppable. I’m 5-9, and there’s nothing I can do when she puts her hands up. She’s an asset, and I can lob it right to her at any point. Yvanessa was very physical and worked hard. With Tatiana, the height is something you can’t teach.”
Manuel said the intensity at her new school is something she’s never experienced, especially when it comes to Nohra’s coaching style.
“He’s a tough coach, he likes to push you and I wasn’t used to that,” Manuel said. “I was like, ‘Whoa, what are you doing,’ but it’s been good for me. He cares about getting us to college and getting us to states.”
The biggest difference from last year is the starting lineup includes two freshmen: Janice Cassanello and Luz Santiago (8.7 points, 3.0 rebounds).
“The keys for this team is how well the freshmen come up, develop and play well for us in the stretch run,” Nohra said. “They’re making more mistakes, but that’s good, because every time they do we teach them and talk to them about where they should have been and what should they have done. Every game for them is a learning process. It’s like another practice.
“I think last year’s team was a better shooting team,” Nohra continued. “I think this team is a little better inside. Breaking in two freshmen is tougher than last year because last year there were some seniors in those positions, so there was a huge learning curve, but I’m hoping that they quickly learn their jobs and do them well. We can only go as far as they come to the table for us.”
The squad has shown it still has the ability to suffocate opponents defensively and run them into the court with its offense, winning games by an average of 62.9-20.9.
The academy hosts the Class 2A-District 8 tournament, with the final on Feb. 1 at 7 p.m.
The Wildcats travel to Seven River Christian Dec. 11 at 6 p.m. and hosts Hernando Christian and Sunlake Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 14 at 6 p.m., respectively.
