Lake Mead girls starting season fresh

By Sean Ammerman

Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2008 | 5 p.m.

With a new coach and an almost entirely new roster of players, Lake Mead Christian Academy's girls basketball team is starting with a clean slate this season.

Solomon Gamino, formerly the coach of Lake Mead's middle school girls team, is inheriting a high school squad with eight freshmen and no seniors.

The Eagles may be young and inexperienced, but Gamino and his girls aren't looking to make any excuses. They're looking to revive girls basketball at Lake Mead.

"They are very strong competitors and they don't see themselves as freshmen," Gamino said. "They are not intimidated by the older girls from other schools."

The girls started the season 3-1, defeating teams at their 1A level, but hit a snag at the Mountain View Tournament from Dec. 18 to 19.

Lake Mead fell to larger schools Faith Lutheran, Mountain View, Fairmont Prep of California and River Valley of Arizona to go 0-4.

Gamino, who coached the middle school team to three consecutive league titles, hopes they learn from the losses by the time the Southern League schedule starts Jan. 9 at Round Mountain.

"Each game we played we have been in contention until the third quarter," Gamino said. "We have just had growing pains at the end. It's not from being out of shape. It comes down to being experienced in those situations."

Junior center Mallory Baker is one of Lake Mead's two juniors, but has not accepted the experienced leader role for the team yet.

This is her first season playing basketball after three years sitting out from the sport. Teammate Mikayla Louder persuaded Baker to join, and she has been a welcome addition, leading the team in blocks and rebounds.

In a 40-30 win against Indian Springs on Dec. 9, Baker had 11 rebounds and five blocks.

"It's been difficult coming back and having to relearn everything, but the girls have made it more fun than work," she said.

The Eagles have been led by a pair of freshmen — guard Jordan Clarke and forward Emily Dean.

Dean, the younger sister of former Eagles boys star Jared Dean, is perhaps the most anxious to see a turn around in the girls program, Gamino said.

"I know these girls are competitive and I know they want to build a winning basketball program at this school," Gamino said. "If they work together, in four years they could be special."

Sean Ammerman can be reached at 990-2661 or [email protected].