Basketball: OHS plans to use depth in fast pace

For the Odessa High Lady Bronchos basketball team, just getting all the players together at the same time has been a chore during the preseason.

OHS coach Harry Masch has had to wait on some players who were members of the school’s playoff volleyball team, and three other players still are participating on the cross country team that qualified for Saturday’s state meet. Others will pull double duty on the soccer team later in the season.

“Eventually, they’ll get here,” Masch said. “The good part is they are still in cross country. That means they’re good athletes.”

While the situation has made it difficult to put everything together going into tonight’s season opener at Andrews, it also has allowed other players to get more floor time in the preseason.

“We’re just going to play a whole lot of people. We’re going to go 15 deep,” OHS assistant coach Scott Masch said. “It’s going to be up-tempo. We’re going to get after it on offense and defense.”

OHS returns eight players from last season, when the Lady Bronchos went 8-22 overall and 2-10 in District 3-5A. Heading the list is junior forward Dorrian McKnight, a first-team all-district pick, but she won’t be expected to carry the entire load, Harry Masch said.

“We’ve got a lot of young players on the roster again, and they’re going to all play,” he said. “The thing about this team is it’s going to be more team-oriented. We’re going to play a lot of various combinations.”

Junior forward Alisha Willis, senior forward Hallie Hurt and senior guard Sammie Salazar also are back. Willis was a second-team all-district pick last season, while Hurt was an honorable mention selection.

How the group of seven newcomers fits in with the holdovers will be the key, Harry Masch said.

“The infusion of new talent is the critical thing,” he said. “We’re going to play more alertly this year. We’re going to play an aggressive style of defense and an aggressive style of offense, so we’re going to be a very aggressive team. We’re going to make a lot of mistakes, but we think those will eventually smooth out.”

THE BASICS

ODESSA HIGH AT ANDREWS

>> What: 2007-08 season opener.

>> When: 5 p.m. today.

>> Where: Andrews High School.

>> Coaches: Harry Masch, OHS; Rusty Gilbreath, Andrews.

SCHEDULE

Date Opponent Site Time

Nov. 6 Andrews Andrews 5 p.m.

Nov. 13 Greenwood Greenwood 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 19 Big Spring Big Spring 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 22-24 Georgetown Tourn. Georgetown TBA

Nov. 27 Lubbock Monterey Lubbock 6 p.m.

Nov. 29- San Antonio Tourn. San Antonio TBA

Dec. 1 San Antonio Tourn. San Antonio TBA

Dec. 4 Midland Classical OHS 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 7 Hobbs, N.M. Hobbs 6 p.m.

Dec. 11 x-Midland Lee OHS 6 p.m.

Dec. 14 x-Abilene Cooper OHS 6 p.m.

Dec. 19 x-Permian Permian 6 p.m.

Dec. 27-29 Dallas Tournament Dallas TBA

Jan. 2 x-Midland High Midland 6 p.m.

Jan. 8 x-Abilene High OHS 6 p.m.

Jan. 11 x-San Angelo Central San Angelo 6 p.m.

Jan. 15 x-Midland Lee OHS 6 p.m.

Jan. 18 x-Abilene Cooper Abilene 6 p.m.

Jan. 22 x-Permian OHS 6 p.m.

Jan. 25 x-Midland High Midland 6 p.m.

Feb. 1 x-Abilene High Abilene 6 p.m.

Feb. 5 x-San Angelo Central OHS 6 p.m.

x-District 3-5A game

ROSTER

No. Name Class Ht. Pos.

0 Courtney Cernock Junior 5-2 G

2 Raquel Acosta Junior 5-0 G

3 Mia Hinojos Freshman 5-1 G

4 Kirsten Taylor Sophomore 5-2 G

10 Alex Morris Junior 5-7 G

15 Sammy Salazar Senior 5-2 G

20 Alisha Willis Junior 5-6 F

22 Veronica Simmons Junior 5-4 G

25 Isla Hernandez Sophomore 5-6 G

33 Jackie Munoz Freshman 5-5 G

42 Dannielle Cooper Freshman 5-6 G

44 Makhala Oldham Sophomore 5-10 F

50 Hallie Hurt Senior 5-11 F

54 Dorrian McKnight Junior 6-0 F

55 Deja McKnight Freshman 6-2 C

Head coach: Harry Masch.

Assistant coaches: Scott Masch, Ricky Santiago, Sylvia Rivera.