Youth Movement for Mineola Girls Basketball in 2011-12

The Mineola Lady Mustangs varsity basketball squad will bring back three of their key players from for their 2011-12 campaign, but only one of them will be a senior.

All-County player Kerri Medlock had her older sister Kalie as a shoulder to lean on in 2010-11 but now will lead a team that will feature a lot of younger players.

She will not go it alone as junior point guard Julie Falotico is also among the players returning along with freshman three point shooting specialist Samantha Venus.

“It will be a year of learning for a lot of our players. Let’s put it that way,” head coach Denise Zunno said. “We only have one senior and one junior on a team that will have nine JV players who were moved up from last season.”

Last Season: 1st place in Conference IV

Coach: Denise Zunno

Key Players:

• Kerri Medlock, senior, center
• Julie Falotico, junior, guard
• Samantha Venus, freshman, forward
• Charlotte Renker, freshman, shooting guard (injured)

Position Breakdown: Kerri Medlock is the younger sister of Kalie Medlock who graduated this past spring. The duo helped the Lady Mustangs reach the last season but now Kerri will lead the squad.

Medlock will play at center and is an effective scorer in the low post. Her large frame will also help to alter the opposing teams shots on defense.

Freshman Samantha Venus is capable of going on a run in any game. There were multiple times last season when she scored in the double digits and will look to do so again in 2011-12.

Junior Julie Falotico is one of the most efficient passers on the team. She has a knack for finding her teammates in the right spots to set them up for the score.

Expectations: The Lady Mustangs came in first place the last 2 years in Conference IV, splitting the honors last season. They will be hard pressed to achieve such a distinction this year after losing a lot of their players to graduation.

The team is down to one Medlock sister after losing forward Kalie Medlock who added a one two punch with her sister Kerri on the court.

The Lady Mustangs are also looking to fill some height requirements as Sophomore Heather Gessner opted not to return this season and freshman Charlotte Renker – who is nearly 6 feet tall – injured her hip in the offseason and will be out until January.

“We have a few key players back but we are going to need the younger players to really step up for us in order to compete in this conference,” Zunno said. “It is going to be a year of learning for us.”

First Game:

Tuesday, December 6 at Plainview JFK at 4 p.m.

Next: Non-league game at home against Lawrence on December 14.