Quiet Teen Sinks 19 Points

Sections

Neighborhoods

Features

NHI Newsletter

Legal Notices

Some Favorite Sites

Government/ Community Links

by Caitlin Emma | Feb 9, 2012 9:01 am

Commenting has been closed | E-mail the Author

Posted to: Schools, Sports

Caitlin Emma Photo A member of the visiting Branford Eagles launched the ball into the air. For a tense second, it was anyone’s grab. Lady Panther Vinnie Brantle snatched it out of the air and whipped it at her teammate Dejah LaNier, —who ran down the court to sink yet another basket.

LaNier may be one of the quietest Lady Panthers, the girls’ basketball team at High Regional Career School. But don’t mistake her for timid. She scored 19 points against Branford at the JV game Monday night.

LaNier, 15, is a sophomore at Hill Regional Career High School. Her sweeping run of the court epitomized what seemed like an effortless win for the whole team against Branford.

The Lady Panthers secured a double-digit lead for most of the game. By half-time, they were leading by 20 points.

With 15 seconds left to the game, Junior Monique Mitchell sank a basket, prompting cheers from the crowd and her teammates. At the end, the team won by 53 points—the final score was 77-24.

The win isn’t anything new for the Lady Panthers. Out of 17 games this season, they’ve lost one.

It all boils down to team dynamic.

“We play together, we work together and we bond on and off the court,” said LaNier, who plays shooting guard.

LaNier (pictured) also plays on the varsity team. It’s her first year on varsity and second year on JV. She said it’s not hard balancing both.

“I try to bring my JV game to the varsity team to see what I can contribute,” she said, ever modest.

But Assistant Coach Stephen Bethke said her numbers this year have been more than modest.

“Her shooting this year is, wow,” he said. “Even her misses are good.”

Bethke said it’s not uncommon for girls to play on the varsity team while playing JV. About eight girls play JV; a total of about 13 play varsity. At any given time, between five and seven JV girls might dabble in varsity to get the experience.

“Any sub-varsity program is meant to help you prepare to play for that next level,” he said.

The varsity team LaNier is playing for is used to high standards, too. The varsity Lady Panthers were Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference state champions last year.

LaNier said she just enjoys the team and keeping busy with practice.

“I like playing,” she said. “It gives me something to do besides just my school work.”

“It makes me feel like I’m a part of something,” she added.

LaNier started playing at age 3 when her mom introduced her to courts around New Haven, she said. She blushed when mom came up to her after the game on Monday night, shooing her away while she talked basketball with a reporter.

“Don’t worry, I won’t embarrass you!” mom joked.

Other than basketball, her favorite subject at Career is math, she said.

And the future? Maybe women’s college basketball, she said, at Georgia Tech, her favorite college team.

Comments

There were no comments

New Haven Independent

New Haven Independent Login Form