Wallace State Trifecta

Published 10:08 pm Wednesday, January 18, 2006

The roster for Wallace State’s ladies basketball team has a Cullman County tint to it with the names of Mary Lauren Mills, Savanna Calvert and Katie Brandon appearing on it nightly.

Mills and Calvert came to the Lady Lions from Good Hope High School, while Brandon played her prep ball at Vinemont.

“If we could get all our girls from Cullman County, then I would do it,” said Wallace State coach Larry Slater. “It helps make attendance good from all the local support. I like using local players if I can get them and I have always thought that.

“For me to be able to recruit locally, says a lot about the local coaches, who get their girls ready to play at the collegiate level.”

Wallace State’s location in Hanceville played a major part in the decision of all three women made to play basketball in college.

“Being close to home was one of the main reasons I chose to go to Wallace State,” said Brandon. “I commuted my first year, but decided to live in the dorms this season. Wallace also has the best facilities of any junior college in the state.”

While Calvert and Mills were teammates at Good Hope, all three girls shared plenty of memories before becoming college teammates.

“I played AAU ball with both of them for two or three years,” Brandon said. “We were on the Bama’s Best 18-and-under team during the summer and became pretty good friends.”

Mills’ favorite prep memory came at the expense of Brandon’s Vinemont team during their senior seasons.

“We had made it to the finals of the county tournament my junior season, but didn’t win,” Mills said. “But my senior season, we beat Vinemont in the finals of the county tournament after losing to them twice in the regular season.”

Calvert and Mills’ friendship took off when Mills transferred from Cullman to Good Hope during her ninth-grade year.

“Savanna was one of my first friends at Good Hope,” Mills said. “Savanna would carry me to Ingle Park to play pick-up games against the guys. I tried to always do the same once I could drive.”

On the court, all three local athletes bring something different to the Lady Lions. But Slater said all three have one thing in common.

“All three girls give everything they have anytime they are on the court,” said Slater.

Mills, a 5-foot-5, sophomore guard, won the Bill Shelton Award for top-female player in Cullman County for the 2004 season.

“Mary is a very hard-nosed player,” Slater said. “She definitely plays the game with passion.”

Against Alabama Southern, Mills scored a season-high 10 points, but noted her game still needs improvement.

“I’ve got to be more aggressive on the court,” Mills said. “I tend to play safe on offense and defense. I need to take a few more chances.”

Calvert, a 5-foot-9, freshman forward, has the ability to play down low and beyond the 3-point line.

“Savanna can play the inside and outside,” Slater said. “She is a great 3-point shooter and has really devoted herself to the game.”

Brandon, a 5-foot-10, sophomore forward, received a top-notch compliment from Slater.

“Katie works harder at the game than anyone on the team,” Slater said. “She also does a great job on the boards.”

Brandon feels she can do more to help the team than what she has put in this season.

“I’ve done OK this season,” Brandon noted. “But I want to step up more and contribute more to the team.”

For a chance to catch all three local girls, go to Tom Drake Coliseum at Wallace State this afternoon at 5:30 to catch the Lady Lions versus Bevill-Fayette.