‘Geckos to prepare harder next year’

Saipan International School Lady Geckos coach Rob Epley said they would have to prepare doubly harder if they want to keep the title for the fourth straight year.

Epley, in a telephone interview yesterday, said he expects rough sailing for his wards next year since his two top players have used up their eligibility. Epley coached the Geckos for the past three years.

Gone in Epley’s lineup for SIS’ fourth straight title bid are the top scoring combination of Melissa Halaby and Madison Smith. “Melissa [Halaby] is a graduating senior while Madison [Smith] is going to college next year.”

Caroline Lachaby, who is a reserve for the Geckos, will also be leaving. “She is a role player and we will also be losing her.”

Epley said he would schedule more practice sessions for the team to prepare for next season, which he expects to be a lot tougher. “We will practice a lot for next year. This year we got by on athletic ability since two of my players are also members of the CNMI National Women’s Football Team.”

Smith and Zoe Jewell’s time was divided for the Geckos as they also trained for the 2008 Marianas Cup last month where the CNMI pulled off a scoreless draw against Guam.

Some of Epley’s players were also part of the Mock Trial team. “We practice rarely as a full team and we seldom have had good practices. We have to practice a lot and harder next year since Noelle Calvo will be back for Mt. Carmel and they would be the team to beat next year. We must practice extra hard if we expect to go up against MCS.”

Despite Halaby and Smith’s departure Epley still has reliable starters Jewell, Lila Mailman, Hae Jim Kim, Amber Roberts—who is only in eighth grade next year and also played in the Lady Geckos’ junior varsity squad this year.

He can also expect a lot more from the come-backing Dan Bi Choi, who also started for the Lady Geckos’ back to-back title wins in 2006 and 2007. “I’ve heard she’s [Choi] coming back.”

“The team is not going to lack for new people to score the points [despite] relying on Madison [Smith] and Melissa [Halaby] to score [in the past]. But the others will be fine and they will surely step up for next year.”

Smith was also named the league most valuable player and was a member of the all-star team along with teammate Halaby.

Smith and Halaby put on a two-pronged attack to help the SIS Lady Geckos score a 40-34 decision against the Lady Knights last Friday in the girls division finals of Coalition of Private Schools Sports Association basketball league.

The win completed the Lady Geckos bid to claim their third straight crown while again foiling the Lady Knights’ own title bid.

Halaby and Smith both finished with 13 points, while Jin Kim chipped in eight markers, all in put-backs in the fourth period.