Basketball Feature: Lynchburg-Clay Lady Mustangs
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The latest group of Lynchburg-Clay Lady Mustang seniors all have taken a different path to their final high school season.
Some have played at the varsity level more than others, but all four seniors have ended up back together for one final season together as they are set to lead the Lady Mustangs this season.
[[In-content Ad]]LC has four seniors this year in Ryleigh Jackson, Ginny Gadzinski, Laney Lewis and Emma Setty. This past fall, Jackson and Setty were members of the Southern Hills League champion soccer team, while Gadzinski and Lewis raced in cross-country.
Lewis was also a member of the last LC girls basketball team to win a SHL title, achieved during her freshman campaign.
Last season, Lewis (a 2011-12 All-SHL player) played in 22 games, averaging a double-double with 13.4 points per game and 10.7 rebounds per game. As a junior, Lewis totaled 295 points (second most on the team) with 235 rebounds (93 offensive), 87 steals, 68 blocked shots and 62 steals.
All four seniors said they began playing around the third grade, as family members were a big reason they wanted to play the sport.
"My dad was a big part of my basketball beginnings," Setty said.
"My sisters played here at Lynchburg-Clay, and when I began I was in the third grade," said Lewis.
As for this year, the group of girls all have one common goal, and that is to win basketball games as they reached the sectional final last season but want to improve on that this season.
Along the way at the varsity level, the ladies have their own favorite memories.
"A few seasons ago, we reached the Convocation Center, and that was one the best times I've had with basketball," Gadzinski said, who played in 10 games her junior year.
"When we won our sectional game last year (a 49-27 win over Northwest), that's my favorite memory," Jackson said.
LC head coach Coach Lewis spoke about Jackson and Gadzinski and what they bring to the program.
"Ryleigh is playing varsity for the first time this year," Coach Lewis said. "She's fairly new to our program, came to us last year and played reserve. She's a hard-nosed kid, plays hard, will go after the ball and do what is asked of her. She brings hustle.
"Ginny played reserve and varsity last year. She's another hard-nosed kid who will do anything that you ask her to do at any time. She's going to give 100 percent any time she's on the court, and that's important to have in a player."
Lewis, a four-year varsity starter, and Setty (a three-year varsity player) said their favorite time on the basketball court came last season when the Lady Mustangs defeated then-No. 7 ranked Georgetown 49-45, snapping a G-Town then-winning streak of 45 games on Jan. 23, 2012 at LCHS.
"That game was so much fun to be a part of," Setty said.
"It was good to know we could beat a team the caliber of Georgetown," Lewis said.
Last season, Setty averaged 6.2 ppg, along with 2.5 rpg. Setty played in 22 games scoring 137 points, 54 total rebounds and 33 steals.
"Emma played for us last year, and she played big minutes," Coach Lewis said. "She was one of our top five scorers, and she brings great leadership."
As for Lewis, her story of being a senior has been one of many coaches. Her freshman season, she was coached in the final season of legendary coach Linda Hatten, followed by Tiffany Barnett, who led LC to the district finals in her lone season as head coach. Last season, Whitney Lewis, the all-time leading scorer for LC girls basketball and Laney's older sister, became head coach of the Lady Mustangs.
Laney said it has been a bit different having her older sister being her coach, but one experience she has enjoyed.
"Sometimes I forget she's my coach and I might say something I shouldn't," Laney said with a laugh. "It was hard at first because she's my sister and we would argue. Now we are used to it, but still I might slip, but I still enjoy playing basketball for her."
Her sister and head coach also spoke about the topic of coaching her younger sister.
"Laney doesn't get half as much credit as she deserves and probably gets 10 times the responsibility that I would normally put on a player," Coach Lewis said. "I do that mainly because she is my sister, but also because I know she is a high enough caliber player that I can place those expectations on her. She has committed to play basketball at the next level, and I hope that this season proves to be her most successful one yet."
Coach Lewis spoke about the experience Laney brings to the program, being a four-year varsity player.
In her three years thus far Lewis has been a part of 46 wins and 21 losses at the varsity level. Last season, Lewis (who was also third-team All-District) scored the most points in a game (28), while also having the most rebounds in a game (20), most steals in a game (12), most assists in a game (9) and most blocks in a game (13).
"Laney also played big minutes, and all of her experience at the varsity level is a great value to have," Coach Lewis said. "She was our second-leading scorer, and she also brings great leadership.
"One day, we didn't have a very good practice, and the next day everyone was up and ready, and both Emma and Laney changed that. Their leadership ability is what will help carry us through the season."
All four ladies spoke about how one of their favorite parts of basketball is the competitiveness of the sport, but still, there were other aspects of the sport the ladies enjoyed as well.
"I love just being around my friends and playing the game with them," Gadzinski said.
"I agree with Ginny because playing the game with your friends is fun, plus like the others said, I love the competitiveness," Jackson said.
As previously mentioned, all the girls have on their mind is winning games, and if they are about to achieve that, everything else will fall into place.
"We just want to win as much as we can," Lewis said.
Some have played at the varsity level more than others, but all four seniors have ended up back together for one final season together as they are set to lead the Lady Mustangs this season.
[[In-content Ad]]LC has four seniors this year in Ryleigh Jackson, Ginny Gadzinski, Laney Lewis and Emma Setty. This past fall, Jackson and Setty were members of the Southern Hills League champion soccer team, while Gadzinski and Lewis raced in cross-country.
Lewis was also a member of the last LC girls basketball team to win a SHL title, achieved during her freshman campaign.
Last season, Lewis (a 2011-12 All-SHL player) played in 22 games, averaging a double-double with 13.4 points per game and 10.7 rebounds per game. As a junior, Lewis totaled 295 points (second most on the team) with 235 rebounds (93 offensive), 87 steals, 68 blocked shots and 62 steals.
All four seniors said they began playing around the third grade, as family members were a big reason they wanted to play the sport.
"My dad was a big part of my basketball beginnings," Setty said.
"My sisters played here at Lynchburg-Clay, and when I began I was in the third grade," said Lewis.
As for this year, the group of girls all have one common goal, and that is to win basketball games as they reached the sectional final last season but want to improve on that this season.
Along the way at the varsity level, the ladies have their own favorite memories.
"A few seasons ago, we reached the Convocation Center, and that was one the best times I've had with basketball," Gadzinski said, who played in 10 games her junior year.
"When we won our sectional game last year (a 49-27 win over Northwest), that's my favorite memory," Jackson said.
LC head coach Coach Lewis spoke about Jackson and Gadzinski and what they bring to the program.
"Ryleigh is playing varsity for the first time this year," Coach Lewis said. "She's fairly new to our program, came to us last year and played reserve. She's a hard-nosed kid, plays hard, will go after the ball and do what is asked of her. She brings hustle.
"Ginny played reserve and varsity last year. She's another hard-nosed kid who will do anything that you ask her to do at any time. She's going to give 100 percent any time she's on the court, and that's important to have in a player."
Lewis, a four-year varsity starter, and Setty (a three-year varsity player) said their favorite time on the basketball court came last season when the Lady Mustangs defeated then-No. 7 ranked Georgetown 49-45, snapping a G-Town then-winning streak of 45 games on Jan. 23, 2012 at LCHS.
"That game was so much fun to be a part of," Setty said.
"It was good to know we could beat a team the caliber of Georgetown," Lewis said.
Last season, Setty averaged 6.2 ppg, along with 2.5 rpg. Setty played in 22 games scoring 137 points, 54 total rebounds and 33 steals.
"Emma played for us last year, and she played big minutes," Coach Lewis said. "She was one of our top five scorers, and she brings great leadership."
As for Lewis, her story of being a senior has been one of many coaches. Her freshman season, she was coached in the final season of legendary coach Linda Hatten, followed by Tiffany Barnett, who led LC to the district finals in her lone season as head coach. Last season, Whitney Lewis, the all-time leading scorer for LC girls basketball and Laney's older sister, became head coach of the Lady Mustangs.
Laney said it has been a bit different having her older sister being her coach, but one experience she has enjoyed.
"Sometimes I forget she's my coach and I might say something I shouldn't," Laney said with a laugh. "It was hard at first because she's my sister and we would argue. Now we are used to it, but still I might slip, but I still enjoy playing basketball for her."
Her sister and head coach also spoke about the topic of coaching her younger sister.
"Laney doesn't get half as much credit as she deserves and probably gets 10 times the responsibility that I would normally put on a player," Coach Lewis said. "I do that mainly because she is my sister, but also because I know she is a high enough caliber player that I can place those expectations on her. She has committed to play basketball at the next level, and I hope that this season proves to be her most successful one yet."
Coach Lewis spoke about the experience Laney brings to the program, being a four-year varsity player.
In her three years thus far Lewis has been a part of 46 wins and 21 losses at the varsity level. Last season, Lewis (who was also third-team All-District) scored the most points in a game (28), while also having the most rebounds in a game (20), most steals in a game (12), most assists in a game (9) and most blocks in a game (13).
"Laney also played big minutes, and all of her experience at the varsity level is a great value to have," Coach Lewis said. "She was our second-leading scorer, and she also brings great leadership.
"One day, we didn't have a very good practice, and the next day everyone was up and ready, and both Emma and Laney changed that. Their leadership ability is what will help carry us through the season."
All four ladies spoke about how one of their favorite parts of basketball is the competitiveness of the sport, but still, there were other aspects of the sport the ladies enjoyed as well.
"I love just being around my friends and playing the game with them," Gadzinski said.
"I agree with Ginny because playing the game with your friends is fun, plus like the others said, I love the competitiveness," Jackson said.
As previously mentioned, all the girls have on their mind is winning games, and if they are about to achieve that, everything else will fall into place.
"We just want to win as much as we can," Lewis said.