AHS, CHS girls meet tonight

By MARK WILSON / Staff Writer

While the Abilene High girls basketball team knows that it must prepare for Cooper's Catherine Weir tonight in their District 4-5A matchup, the mission the Lady Cougars are facing is less specific.

Weir leads the Lady Cougars with 19.5 points per game, and recently took over the team lead in rebounding, with an average of 6.5.

The Lady Eagles are led by Tracy Horrell's 14 points per game, but Cooper coach Kirk Ellis expects the rest of the team may break out at any time.

"They've had a lot of different kids score," said Ellis, whose Lady Cougars are 8-7. "Things haven't gone their way, but I expect it to happen any day because they work so hard on the court.

"They have such good quickness, especially at the guard position. We've got to be able to handle that pressure, and hopefully score some easy baskets off of them. We have to contain their speed, and we have to handle their press and pressure. They're quick."

AHS coach Pat Mouser said he probably won't be using any gimmick defenses to combat Weir, who is shooting 52.3 percent from the field so far this season.

"We're going to play our man defense, but everybody's got to know where (Weir) is," Mouser said. "Our philosophy is, if she's going to get hers, we'll try to shut down the others. People don't realize how quick she is. Her biggest advantage is that she can go inside or outside."

Cooper's last game was a 58-34 district loss at the hands of Odessa High, leaving the Lady Cougars 0-2 in district play.

"We just need a win in district," Ellis said. "The rivalry is still there, and it would make it a lot sweeter, but we're trying to get into the race. It would be tough to take another loss right now."

In addition to Weir, Ellis expects to start Tamara Hart on the other wing, along with Toni Choate at guard and Ida Ridgeway and Ashley Varner at post. Hart averages 7.8 points per game.

Starting for the Eagles, in addition to Horrell and Michelle Martin at post, will be Randi Williams and Misty Mays at guard, and Kim Roach at forward.

Horrell, a 5-8 senior, also leads the Lady Eagles with an average of 5.2 rebounds per game. Martin averages 7.9 points, and Williams averages 6.3.

The Lady Eagles' last game was their district opener, a 47-44 loss to Odessa Permian on Friday.

Williams will play with a sore right wrist, Martin has a sprained ankle, and reserve Jeanette Wingert - a starter early in the season - was suffering from a swollen achilles tendon and missed last Friday's game. Reserve Heaven Balanciere practiced Tuesday after sitting out almost two weeks with a dislocated shoulder.

The Lady Eagles have shot only 33.8 percent from the field this season as a team, which has Mouser concerned more than which opponent they are facing.

"We're mainly concerned about ourselves," Mouser said. "We've got to execute our offense, and block off on the boards. We feel like if we do those things, we've got a chance to win it.

"If we're shooting 40 percent, we would have probably won seven of the (10) games we've lost. A lot of it is executing the offense and getting a better look."

The Lady Cougars aren't facing any injury problems, but Ellis is also concerned about his team's shooting, which recently dipped from 45 percent to 40 percent overall, as well as offensive rebounding.

"We're going to have to improve our shooting, especially from close range," Ellis said. "At our post position, we're worrying about the defense too much instead of taking it up strong. We're giving up too many offensive rebounds." AHS girls vs. Cooper

-- When: 6 p.m.

-- Where: ACU's Moody Coliseum

-- Records: Abilene High 2-10, 0-1; Cooper 8-7, 0-2

Probable starters

AHS girls - Tracy Horrell, 5-8, Sr.; Randi Williams, 5-5, Jr.; Michelle Martin, 5-9, Jr.; Misty Mays, 5-0, Soph.; Kim Roach, 5-5, Soph.

Cooper girls - Catherine Weir, 5-8, Jr.; Tamara Hart, 5-6, Jr.; Ashley Varner, 5-9, Soph.; Toni Choate, 5-7, Soph.; Ida Ridgeway, 5-9, Sr.