RESERVE – It’s basketball season, and the East St. John Lady Cats are preparing for their season opener Monday against the East Ascension High School Lady Spartans.

The Lady Cats have been practicing for weeks leading up to their first game and they have big shoes to fill.

“We were 21-8 last year,” head coach Stasha Thomas said.

“We are going to be even better this year.”

With only one senior on the team, Thomas said that as good as the team is going to be this year, they would be even better next year.

“Our team is pretty young,” Thomas said.

“Our one senior didn’t play for us last year, so she is pretty new to this, too.

“We have a new girl (Nakendria Wilson,) who transferred here from Texas and she is really tall. She is easily 6 feet tall. She is going to help us out a lot this season.”

The Lady Cats are traveling to Gonzales Monday to take on East Ascension.

“This will be an exciting game for us,” Thomas said.

“We haven’t played East Ascension since they were in our district. It’s been several years. It’ll be exciting to see what they’ve got and a good challenge for our girls to start the season.”

ESJ is coming off a five-point victory Wednesday against Ursuline Academy in an exhibition game for both teams.

Thomas said she is pumped up for the season to start and ready to see how well the Lady Cats perform.

“I’ve got some really good girls this year,” Thomas said.

“They are fast and they play well together. You have to have those two things to win a game.”

Thomas said this is her first year as head coach for the East St. John girls’ team, but she isn’t new to the girls.

“I was an assistant coach (at East St. John) for five years before I became head coach this year,” Thomas said.

“I know the girls and they know me, but I am switching some things up this year. They will have to get used to it, but so far everything is working.”

— By Courtney Griggs