The King’s Academy girls varsity basketball team has some unfinished business from last year. This year’s unit is trying to advance a little further in the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Class 3A state tournament.
Last year, the team, coached by Chris Race, advanced to the FHSAA’s Class 3A Final Four, which is always held in Lakeland at the RP Funding Center. Last February, TKA’s 2021-22 team lost in the state semifinals, 50-42, to the Cardinal Mooney Cougars. That concluded the season for the Lions, who finished with a record of 24-6. It truly was a historic campaign for TKA, but this year’s team is working to conclude the season with a pair of victories in Lakeland next month and return home with the state title.
This year, Race has returned as the head coach, and he has been joined by five of last year’s top seven players. He is cautiously optimistic that this will be another memorable and historic season for his team.
“I think one of our strengths is that most of the girls are so versatile that they all can play any position,” Race said. “They have all worked very hard over the summer and have improved from last year.”
Just after Christmas, Race’s team traveled to Tampa to play in the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational. The schedule featured four games in four days against top teams from Las Vegas to Orlando.
“We played teams from Louisville, Chicago, Las Vegas and Orlando. We were in a really tough bracket and went 2-2,” Race said. “We play these tournaments to play against tough competition to prepare our team for the playoffs. I want them to learn how to go on the road and play in a different gym at a high level. I think that team bonding is a key benefit on these types of road trips.”
On Jan. 6-7, Race took his team to Broward County for a two-day tournament.
“We also just played in the SUTS Scouting Report New Year’s Classic at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale,” Race said. “We played two top-level teams: Palmer Trinity (a win) and Miami High (a loss). It was another great tournament with some of the top teams in the state. It gave us another chance to go on the road and play or watch some of the teams that we may face in the state playoffs.”
This year’s team has a few new faces who are making big contributions to the team’s overall success. The three biggest additions to the team are two freshmen, Madelyn Buccilli and Sofia Rathbun, and an eighth-grader, Lilly-Kaye Vance.
“Madelyn is a really good shooter and is learning the other skills to be a complete basketball player,” Race said. “She works really hard and is a key sub this season.”
“Sofia has been our starting point guard this season,” Race continued. “She is an extremely hard worker who is going to be one of the top players in the county before her high school career is over. She is an excellent shooter and defender. She is learning to play point guard and has been doing a great job thus far.”
“Lilly-Kaye has good size,” Race said. “She is learning to play at the high school level and is getting better every day.”
Two of the returning starters from last year’s team are a pair of sophomores, Sophia “Soso” Kateris and Jade Jones.
“Soso is a very versatile player,” Race said. “She is very strong and attacks the basket really well. She can guard multiple positions and can score in a variety of ways. She is averaging about eight points per game and five rebounds per game. Jade is also a very versatile player. She has played every position at some point for us. She is averaging 13 points a game, 11 rebounds per game and is leading in steals per game. She is very strong and athletic and has really improved her game.”
Race’s squad has three returning seniors. They are Naomi Cadet, Jordan Race (the coach’s daughter) and Janessa Williams.
Cadet was recovering from an injury at the beginning of the season, but she is now back on the court. “Naomi is coming back from an Achilles injury last season,” Race said. “She just started playing again at the Tampa tournament. She gives us another strong, physical presence inside. Her role will continue to grow as she gets back into basketball shape.”
Race’s daughter, Jordan, is a key player for the Lions.
“Jordan is another versatile player,” Race said. “She is averaging 12 points and seven rebounds per game. She has a great basketball IQ and sees the floor really well. She is leading our team in three-point shooting and assists.”
Williams is the team’s No. 1 defender, and she relishes that role on the team. She also leads by example on offense.
“Janessa is an ultra-aggressive and tenacious defender and rebounder,” Race said. “She almost always guards the opposing team’s best player. She is also our leading scorer and rebounder. She averages 16.5 points per game and 12 rebounds per game.”
With just two weeks left in the regular season, Race is working to make sure his team (11-4) stays focused throughout four quarters of play.
“I think we need to get better with our consistency,” he said. “The best teams usually only have a small difference between their best games and worst games. We have had a very large difference between our best games and our worst games this season. I think, as we get a little more consistent, we will continue to improve to hopefully make another run [at the state title] this season.”
This year’s TKA team has played some strong opponents with the goal of getting tournament-tested during the regular season.
“We have played a really tough schedule with former state champions, perennial powerhouses and national-level teams — all to prepare for the FHSAA’s Class 3A state tournament,” Race said.
Don’t be surprised if Race’s strategic scheduling pays a big dividend in February. Time will tell.
