Mike Lovelace spent the past 15 years creating an elite boys basketball program at Skyline High School. The boys’ coach since 2008, Lovelace decided to take on a different challenge and take over the girls’ basketball program at Skyline.
While the boys’ basketball program has been one of the best in the state over the past decade, the girls’ team has struggled – and not because of a lack of quality coaching or effort. The Eagles have just struggled to get off the ground, including last year when they went 3-16 and lost in Districts to Pioneer.
Skyline’s two leading scorers from last year graduated so part of the rebuild will include finding consistent scoring options.
“We have great senior leadership, excellent team chemistry with very unselfish and coachable players,” Lovelace said. “The team wants to get better and is ready to work hard together. Everyone is going to be asked to do a ton more than they did last year and they are all looking forward to the challenge.”
It’s going to be a process that might take some time but time is on their side – as the song goes.
“We will work to get a little better each day,” Lovelace says. “We will learn how to compete defensively to win games. We will learn from all of the game experiences that we have along the way. We will need to stay positive through the tough times and continue to gain confidence with the successes. We will keep working to improve and to be playing our best basketball at end of the season heading into the state tournament.”
Lovelace does have talent – and just as important – solid leadership to lean on heading into the season.
It starts at the point guard position with senior Anjali Kakarla. “Anjali is a strong leader and strong ball handler with good court vision,” Lovelace said. “She has scoring potential driving to the basket and shooting from the outside. She also takes pride in her defensive efforts.”
Reva Patchava, another senior, also returns to the Skyline backcourt. “Reva is a good all around player on both ends of the court,” Lovelace said. “She is a good ball-handler and can also drive to the basket and will look to be an outside shooting threat.”
Sophomore Kennedy Wassef also returns and will play forward. “Kennedy is improving on being a force scoring inside offensively and protecting the basket defensively,” Lovelace said. “Great team player in setting screens, moving without the ball and can make mid-range baskets. She’s a hard worker with a lot of potential.”
Another returning forward is junior Abby Yuan. “Abby is a good team player who will do whatever it takes to compete,” Lovelace said. “She can rebound, set screens, take charges and play tough defense. She can score going to the basket and improving her outside shooting.”
The Skyline roster also will include several key new players including sophomore guards Zoie Reichert and Vedha Kakarla. “Zoie is athletic, aggressive and a strong defender, and can score driving to the basket and improving from the outside,” says Lovelace. “Vedha is a very good ball handler with very good court vision who can drive to the basket and make shots from the outside. She is very smooth and has a very positive attitude on both ends of the court.”
A complete schedule can be found here – www.aaskylinebasketball.com
