Before the season’s opening tip, Waite girls basketball coach Manny May told

The Press that his team would need to improve on a few things from last year if it hoped to erase last year’s three losses in three tries against 2009 City League champ Start and win the conference title.

“Defense wins championships,” May said in the team season preview. “We have to cut down on turnovers and make our free throws.”

Over two months later, with the Lady Spartans ranked second in Ohio Division I and the Lady Indians sixth, Waite proved its coach correct at the Grant Murray Field House with a resounding 66-46 rout in the first of what many expect to be three meetings.

To keep up with the crowds, Waite might have to put back the bleachers that were sold to Toledo Christian School. Between the current seating and court, there used to be bleachers, which if returned would increase the seating.

Over 2,800 spectators, the largest crowd in City League girls’ basketball history, witnessed Lady Indians senior star F/C Natasha Howard and upstart junior point guard Brooke Hunt key the unexpected romp.

The 5-5 Hunt (16 points, six assists, six rebounds, six rebounds) provided the opening spark, draining a three-pointer and dishing out five of her assists to three different scorers as the Indians opened up a 17-10 first quarter lead. She went on to contribute 13 more points before the final buzzer and had five rebounds by halftime.

Over the season’s previous 16 contests, the diminutive Hunt had averaged 6.5 points, but came up huge on the offensive end when it counted most- a foretelling of things to come in the Indians’ backcourt.

“My little point guard took over tonight,” said May. “She came of age, really matured tonight. She came out and made the difference. She came out focused and did what she had to do. She attacked the ball on offense and she attacked the ball on defense.”

The 6-3 Howard, one of the nation’s top rated prep players and a Florida State commit, and junior 6’2 forward Shanice McNeal, a future DI college player in the making, dominated the interior at both ends. Howard stayed true to her season long pace of double-double production with 21 points and 17 boards. McNeal took advantage of the big game atmosphere with a critical 18 points and nine rebounds.

“My girls came out and played. My post players played and my guards played,” May said.

But May didn’t cite double-doubles or 16 points a game from the point guard as

his factors in the Indians returning to the top of the CL crest and perhaps going well beyond it in the postseason, it is defense, limited turnovers and improved free throw shooting.

Against Start, Waite still struggled at the line (11-of-20) but the other two keys clearly opened the door to dominating the Spartans in meeting number one.

The team-wide effort in a man-to-man defense ultimately limited the Spartans’ top shooters in Maleeka Kynard and Jaymie Jackson to a combined 13 points. Junior Azia Bishop’s 11 points led the Spartans, and freshman Charon Sweeney had to step in with 10. Tiffani Blackman added eight, but five players essentially accounted for all of Start’s output.

Hunt provided stellar defensive play particularly in the midcourt, repeatedly disrupting the Spartans’ futile efforts to rally in the second and third quarters. The Indians defense held tight and the offense committed just 11 turnovers in the game including zero in the third quarter when Waite took its 29-19 halftime lead and doubled the difference to 20 points at 54-34.

“I told (Hunt) to come out and play good defense and play her heart out for us and she did,” said Howard. “

“My kids came out aggressive, and really took them out of their game plan,” May said.

While the win puts the Indians in the driver’s seat of the CL standings at a clean 10-0 (16-1 overall), gives them the top seed heading into the upcoming CL Final Four playoffs and makes them a likely sharp jump in the next state poll, realizing how much potential they have and gaining a new level of confidence as the state playoffs approach is likely the most important thing obtained February 3.

“This is a big win but it’s just one win. You have to take this game for what it is,” May pointed out. “I don’t worry about the rankings. It only matters in March. But (this win) really helps their confidence, to come in and play a great game against a great Start team and win like they did.”

The confidence truly showed from Howard’s hopping, waving crowd-rallying whoop before the opening tip through the Indians’ near-perfect domination in a playoff-like atmosphere against another state power, to the final buzzer where the 66-46 wrapped up the latest chapter of an unfolding tale.

“I’m proud of my team for this victory,” said Howard. “We’re one to look out for.”

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