Silhouette

Issue date: 3/27/03 Section: Front Page

Chareka Terry, Plano, Texas, goes up for a shot, March 8, in the Region Vi Tournament against Hutch. Tyler Messenger/Breakaway

The starters from the Lady Busters basketball team await the playing of the Star Splangled Banner during the first round of the National Tournament. Tyler Messenger/Breakaway [Click to enlarge]

The Lady Busters beat expectations when they became the fourth-best team in the nation, March 22.

"It feels good [to be fourth]," Bobby Brasel, head coach said. "Our kids deserve it. They've worked really hard for what they have gotten, and I don't think they've realized what they've accomplished. I'm just tickled to death for them."

The Lady Busters defeated Pearl River, Miss. in the first national tournament game, March 18. The women then went on to defeat Wabash Valley, March 20.

Gulf Coast (Fla.) gave the women their first loss of the national tournament, March 21, as they hammered the Busters 94-56.

"We played a good team," Brasel said. "We played hard. I would have liked more shots, but that didn't happen."

Brasel also commented on the eagerness of the opposing team.

"This team was on a mission," Brasel said. "Our score was closer to theirs than anyone else."

This mission led Gulf Coast to a national championship.

Still plagued by the loss, the women competed at Salina against Midland, Texas, March 22, for the third place title. The women lost the game 87-73.

"By this time our team was tired," Brasel said. "They were mentally and physically exhausted. They battled foul trouble."

Brasel had a positive outlook of the playoff games.

"We played really good teams in the two conference heights," Brasel said. "If most people play these games, their successful level is usually low."

Jasmine Irving, San Antonio, said the fourth place title was a dream come true.

"Not many teams could play [at the national tournament], although during the last two games we were dry," Irving said. We were ranked fifth in the [division VI conference], but we became fourth in the nation. It's just really exciting."

Chareka Terry, Plano, Texas, shared Irving's pride.

"It was really exciting," Terry said. "It was a blessing to make it that far and to get ranked."

The women reserved the right to compete at the national tournament by winning the Region VI tournament, March 11. This is the second time in school history that this has happened.

"I knew that if we had won against Hutch, we could win the tournament," Brasel said. "I was scared of how we'd react to the large crowd [during that game], but in a crazy way I expected them to win. I was extremely proud of the kids."

Irving said the win made her weak in the knees.

"It was the best feeling in the world," Irving said. "We worked hard for it. We knew we could take it all; we just did it goal by goal. First the Jayhawk West Conference, then the region VI tournament, and then nationals. We deserved what we got."

Terry contrasted this victory to last year, whose team didn't make it into the region VI tournament.

"It was great," Terry said. "It was neat coming from last year to winning where some didn't think we could make it."

With the rewarding season behind them, Brasel has a word of advice for the fourth-best team in the country.

" I know that the girls will be successful if they stay true to what they know," Brasel said. "The harder they work, the better they get."

Brasel added his thoughts and memories of the team.

"This is a special group," he said. "People don't get a chance to coach a team like this very often. This is a team that I will remember and recall for the rest of my coaching days."

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