With players on the team for no more than four years and the best ones usually being upperclassmen, how well a high school team transitions is usually vital in how successful it will be on a year-in, year-out basis. A good transition will be especially important for Camp Verde’s girls basketball team during the upcoming season.
Jacy Finley, Tanna Decker and Amanda Lozanilla collectively accounted for 39.9 points per game, more than 70% of the 56.2 points per game that the Cowboys averaged as a team en route to finishing second place in the state tournament. Finley led Camp Verde in rebounds and blocks while Decker led the way in assists and steals. All three of those players have graduated.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the start of the season has been pushed to at least Jan. 18. It’s also created some challenges in the practice schedule. Despite the bumps, the Cowboys are encouraged
by what they’ve seen.
“I wish more girls would have come out,” junior Summer Bast said. “We don’t have as many girls as we normally have and we don’t have enough for a JV [junior varsity team]. But every girl here is willing to work hard. We’re getting better at it. We did lose a lot. But we do have some returning talent and other talent that we can bring up to rebuild.”
“Everybody out here is having a good time and they’re putting in the right work,” added senior Bridgette Fitzgerald. “So I think it will be good. It’s fun to see them out there growing.”
Shelly Warfield is the lone starter to return from last year’s team. She earned All-Region first team honors for the 2A Central region. Other returning players include the backcourt of Fitzgerald and junior Addy Caballero as well as forward Daijah Thompson. Coach Mark Showers is also hoping to rely on the post play of junior McKenna Martin and the shooting of sophomore D’Ana Aranzamendi.
The Cowboys will also be facing different competition, as they were moved from 2A to 3A. Additional challenges this offseason have been created by the pandemic, which left Camp Verde uncertain of what its schedule would look like as different schools were deciding on whether to play.
That’s made it hard to lay out any specific goals, although a return trip to the postseason is certainly a hope.
“Making it to state is a big accomplishment for us,” Caballero said. “That would be a big goal.”
One of the advantages of this team is that it is young. Most of the players on the team are set to come back next season.
With that, in addition to wanting to play well, they also hope to form a tighter bond for the rest of high school and even beyond.
“I want us to become close,” Thompson said. “I want this to become an experience to remember. You do remember losing games. But you also remember the team, the bond, the relationships, the giggles, the laughs, and the ups and downs. I hope we get really close.”
“I know a lot of games might get canceled this year,” Martin said. “So I just want us to improve and get to know each other as a team. We’re only losing one senior this year. So I just want to come together and get our skills better.”
In addition to the statewide delays, the Cowboys have faced challenges in the form of quarantining
as well as the school returning to virtual learning.
They do acknowledge that the challenges have been frustrating. On the plus side, Camp Verde’s players feel good about how well they’re making it work.
“I feel like we’ve faced a lot of difficulties and hiccups in the road,” Warfield said. “But with coach Showers’ help, it’s been a really fun time.”
That feeling has been mutual.
“So far this is one of the funnest teams I’ve had to be with,” Showers said. “I just told them that I look forward to working with this group of kids every day. They’re a lot of fun. They work hard. They have good attitudes.”
“Hopefully we can transition that into some competition on the court and into some wins,” he added. “We’re excited to get out and give these girls a shot to see what they look like against competition.”
