Balancing act
On the one hand, 60 percent of Cibola's starting lineup, all seniors, is back from last year.
On the other hand, one of the two missing players was the Gila Valley Region's Player of the Year.
In a season where most region teams are totally rebuilding or back in full force, the defending champion Raiders are neither.
Coach Justin Hager said it's a delicate balancing act for the three-time defending region champs, who went 15-5 last year before losing in the first round of the playoffs.
"We don't consider it having a target on our back," Hager said. "I think probably Kofa is the favorite because they have more returning than anybody, honestly. We take every game as a challenge. These kids don't look past anybody."
The Raiders open the season Monday in a non-region matchup with Gila Ridge. Aside from the three senior starters - shooting guard Katie Davidson, power forward Lawanda Watson and center Sara Ray - Hager said sophomores still fill some key holes.
Ashley Doering is likely to take over at point guard. To take over for all-region player Kelsey Burbey, who is on the roster at Arizona Western, sophomore Brandi Badilla and senior Adriana Gayten will compete for the job.
"Every year you have to develop your kids," Hager said. "It's just part of the game, people leaving. Other people have to step up and contribute. We're thinking about this season. Burbey was a good talent and stuff like that, but we're looking forward to this season and seeing other kids step up and contribute. It's always tough to make up 15 points per game, but other kids have to step up and contribute.
"The experience will help us out with those three starters, but the youth is also going to be something new for us," he said. "I just think we're going to be deeper than before. That's probably going to be one of our strengths. We've got a combination of some seniors but then some sophomores. We've got three sophomores that are going to be expected to contribute to what we have. It's a good blend."
Davidson said the group is meshing well.
"We have a strong sophomore group and they're adapting well to us," Davidson said. "There's an age gap, but there's not much of a talent gap. They're ready to play and they're ready to play with us."
Last year, the Raiders generally ran a seven-player rotation, sometimes shrinking it to six. Hager said this year he could go nine deep, but added that he doesn't like using more than an eight-player rotation.
Ray said the team is coming together well, particularly on what Hager calls the pride of the team - its defense.
"If we work together we should be OK," Ray said. "We've been working hard on our defense, that's what we're good at."
Kofa was one of the teams to top the Raiders last year and return all of their starters. Gila Ridge brings back most of its roster.
"Since all the other teams have been together awhile, we've got our work cut out for us," Watson said. "We've just got to work together and we can compete well with everyone else."
Even though he said he doesn't think his team is the favorite, Hager expects the Raiders to be very competitive.
"I think Kofa and Gila Ridge are going to be strong," Hager said. "I think it's going to be competitive every game. Yuma High is going to be young but athletic. All (the) teams play hard every night. People get after each other. It will be competitive and it will be interesting to see what happens."
