There’s something special about this year’s group of Ava Lady Bears.
“I’ve got five seniors on my team and this is the best group I’ve coached in my career,” said Ava Head Coach Nathan Houk.
It’s not only the best group – but Ava has the best player in the South Central Association in senior Sara Mendel.
“Obviously she has got some size to her,” Houk said. “She can score in the post, she can step outside and shoot, and she can handle the ball for us.
Sara, an Southwest Baptist signee, can do it all. She’s scored score nearly 1,400 points during her Ava career.
“Her work ethic and what she’s been able to do over the last few years is impressive,” Houk said.
Sara’s played all four years for Ava – but a big change came after her freshman season.
“She grew like 2-3 inches from her freshman to sophomore year,” Houk said. “She put a lot of hard work in from her freshman to sophomore year.”
Now at 6’2″ – she’s grown to be a dominant force.
“I just use it to my advantage, and I tell myself that I’m the biggest person out there and it helps me rebound and get shots up,” Sara said.
“You don’t have to coach height,” Houk said about Sara. “And it helps her to be able to score easier in the post and definitely rebound the basketball.”
Sara’s dominant on the glass. She’s grabbed more than 850 career rebounds, and it’s not only because of her height.
“She also does a good job of seeing the ball coming off of the rim when someone else shoots it. She always manages to get her body in the right spot at the right time,” Houk said.
Sara and her fellow seniors are SCA champions for the second straight year, and hoping to win a third-straight district title. But Sara says it’s a deeper playoff run that these Lady Bears have in mind.
“We’re definitely still hungry for more,” Sara said. “Our season’s not over yet.”
With her length – and athleticism — the Lady Bears are in a good spot for a postseason run.
