Despite inexperience, Sandcrabs girls basketball team eager to learn

Seabreeze dropped its second game of the season 60-19 to Flagler Palm Coast.

By Ray Boone
| 5:28 p.m. November 28, 2017

The Sandcrabs' Christen Helem attempts a layup over the outstretched arms of a defender. Photo by Ray Boone

Seabreeze's Brooke Hergert dribbles the ball up the court against FPC. Photo by Ray Boone

Sandcrabs guard Christen Helem attempts a layup against the Bulldogs. Photo by Ray Boone

Seabreeze's Samantha Roberts sinks a free throw against the Bulldogs. Photo by Ray Boone

Seabreeze's Christen Helem dribbles the ball past an FPC defender. Photo by Ray Boone

A Sandcrab and a Bulldog crash into each other going after a loose ball. Photo by Ray Boone

Seabreeze's Brooke Hergert throws a pass against FPC. Photo by Ray Boone

Ormond Beach Observer
Sports

Of the 11 players on the Seabreeze girls basketball team’s roster, four are freshmen and four are sophomores, many of whom head coach Avery Randolph said never touched a basketball prior to this season.

And in the team’s second game of the season — a road game against Flagler Palm Coast — it showed.

With 40 second left in the first quarter against the Bulldogs, the Sandcrabs’ Tabitha Patrick found herself wide open with the ball in her hands. The freshman released the ball with confidence and ripped the net. It was Seabreeze’s first points of the game. The Bulldogs outscored the Sandcrabs 21-12 in the period.

All together, FPC routed Seabreeze 60-19 on the night of Tuesday, Nov. 28, at Flagler Palm Coast High School.

“They wanted it a little bit more than us tonight,” Randolph said. “Right now, we’re very young. So hopefully, this is a learning experience for them.”

The entire night was a struggle for a Seabreeze team that came in knowing it needed to slow down the Bulldogs’ premier forward Skye Green. Green led all scorers with 22 points and also pulled down 14 rebounds.

“The game plan coming into tonight was to slow down No. 14,” Randolph said of Green. “She has a very good shot of being a very good next-level ball player. But, like I said, we’ve still got a lot of work to do and a lot of maturing to go through.”

But despite connecting on just five field goals the entire game, there were some positives, Randolph said.

After falling behind 56-17 after three quarters, the Sandcrabs (0-2) managed to hold the Bulldogs to four points in the final frame. In addition, the Sandcrabs went 9-of-10 from the free-throw line.

Randolph — whose team returns to action Thursday, Nov. 30, against New Smyrna Beach — said he embraces the challenge of helping an inexperienced team learn the game of basketball.

“Some of the girls have never played basketball before,” he said. “So, my job is to mentor and coach and be a teacher of the game and give them the motivation and confidence to go out there and play. And that’s what they’re doing.”