Dana Williams isn’t quite relaxing this season, but she sure isn’t on her feet as much as in the past.
The Lawrence High girls’ basketball coach has enjoyed the luxury of six seniors who pretty much know the deal out on the court, making life a little easier for the veteran coach.
“I’ve never sat down coaching as much as I’ve done this year because I’m trying to let them take over,” Williams said in early January. “No coach is better than those coaches on the court, in my opinion. They all step up and rise to the occasion. It’s better than me screaming from the sideline if they’re saying it on the court.”
The half-dozen veterans include Marisa Visco, Daphne Ginn, Amirah Brown, Morgan Downs, Brooke West and Brandi Grimes.
The veteran leadership and talent helped Lawrence to a 9-2 start by mid-January, including the team’s first win against Trenton High in over 20 years.
“It’s way different this year,” said Brown, a smooth guard who is clutch under pressure. “We have height, we have speed, and this year we’re actually a family, and our record shows it.”
Brown, known as “Mir Mir” to Williams, and Ginn have both played varsity since their freshman seasons.
Brown possesses tremendous court vision, leading the Cardinals in scoring halfway through the year with a 13-point average and sealing two wins with her foul shooting at crunch time.
“As a freshman, Mir Mir came in as an incredible ball handler, quiet and always looking to make the next pass,” Williams said. “As a senior, she is one of our captains, a vocal leader and one of the best ‘leaders by example’ I’ve ever coached.
“To our delight, she is shooting the ball incredibly well. She’s our general on the court and always wants what’s best for her teammates.”
Ginn, who entered the season on a quest to reach 1,000 points, earlier this year tied the school record for most 3-pointers made in a game with six.
“That should give you an idea of how much her shooting has improved,” Williams said. “She came in as a freshman on a mission to prove to the girls on our team, and throughout the league, that she could hang with them. She did just that, having a break-out season on the scoreboard.”
But Ginn didn’t get cocky after that first year, and has gradually built on the foundation she set down.
“She is a true student of the game and plays smart on both ends of the floor,” Williams said. “As a captain, she takes her role seriously of helping get teammates in the right position or running the plays properly. Her improvement every season has been huge.”
Visco and West are both in their third seasons of playing varsity. If Williams is familiar with anyone, it’s Visco, whom she also coaches on the varsity soccer team.
Visco led the team in scoring and rebounding last year. Unfortunately, she suffered a hand injury that doctors initially indicated would cause her to miss the season. But in mid-January, she was cleared to play.
“She is tough as nails,” Williams said. Her nickname is the Double-Double Queen because she usually averages above 10 points and rebounds every game.
“She really hit her stride last season as she led the team in points and rebounds,” Williams said. “We got some bad news when she had to get hand surgery, but she still ran sprints with the team and never missed a day of practice, film or a game. It feels like the team is whole again with her on the floor for us.”
West, a team captain, has picked up the moniker “Styles” even though her style is more or less gritty and pugnacious.
“She is our fire and our energy,” Williams said. “Her defense on the ball is one of the most intense in the CVC. She truly loves this game and you can tell by the way she plays. If there is a loose ball I know Brooke will be the first one on the floor to dive for it, and she probably holds the school record for diving into the bleachers or bench.
“Her speed running the floor helps take our fast break to the next level. Her hustle and drive to play this game are just incredible.”
Rounding out the solid six are second-year varsity players Downs—known as MoMo—and Grimes, known as Busta.
“Morgan has one of the best nicknames ever,” Williams said with a laugh.
And MoMo never gives less than 100 percent when it comes to being a team player.
“She’s one of the most coachable players I’ve ever had,” Williams said. “She is leading the team in blocked shots and is an incredibly positive teammate. She is the first one to help a teammate up off the ground.”
Downs has improved her physical play and post moves dramatically since she was a freshman “and also has great hands and is passing the ball well for us, especially her high outlet passes,” Williams said.
Grimes is another hard worker who provides intangibles that fuel the Cardinals.
“She plays with her heart on her sleeve,” Williams said. “Whenever we want a strong boost and our intensity to pick up, Busta is the girl to go to. She is really contributing this season with her much improved post moves, rebounding and outlet passing.
“Anything she does in the game, she does at 110 percent. She is a great teammate, always giving high fives and recognizing when her teammates make a big play.”
With that cast, plus some solid underclassmen, Lawrence got off to its best start under Williams, and one of its best in numerous years.
“Our entire team has matured,” Brown said. “For the first time in my four years we have learned to come together as a team and put away close ball games.”
They have come together with the motto FAMILY, which stands for Forget About Me, I Love You. In a meaningful twist, Lawrence spells it FAM11Y.
“The 11 in the middle stands for the 11 players on the team this year,” Williams said. “Everyone plays a role and everyone matters no matter how you contribute.
“We go back to this motto as much as possible and always put our teammates first, which is hard for any team, let alone a high school girls’ basketball team. I’m proud of how far we’ve come and how we continue to make strides.”
And their success this year has lived up to the promise they showed as freshmen.
“When they came in that year it was a great day to be a Cardinal,” Williams said. “Even the (current) seniors that didn’t make varsity as freshmen, I knew they would contribute one day, and one day soon.”
And those contributions have helped Williams take a seat a little more than normal this season.
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