SETH – If you looked at last year’s Sherman Lady Tide starting lineup and compared to this year’s, it might seem familiar.

The Lady Tide return all five starters from last year’s team and will use its valuable experience to its advantage during the 2008-09 season.

Led by coach Terri Dawn Williams and a group of talented juniors, Sherman will try to improve on last year’s 8-13 record.

The Lady Tide is led by senior guard Brittany Merritt, who is the team’s floor general and best ball-handler.

“Brittany is a very good point guard,” Williams said. “She has a good shot and handles the ball well.”

Junior Crystal Halstead will play in different positions depending upon the situation, but she mainly will see time at shooting guard.

“Crystal is my best defensive player,” Williams said. “She has a good shot and hustles more than anyone.”

Junior guard Megan Williams provides natural basketball talent.

“She is one of the better offensive players we have,” Williams said. “She is the smartest and most fundamentally sound player on the team.”

Junior forward Madison Bowman stands 5 feet, 6 inches, but Williams said she plays like she is 6 feet.

“Madison is a great down-low player,” Williams said. “She plays good defense and gets up and down the floor well.”

Junior forward Amanda Browning is an all-around player who provides both good defense underneath the basket and a good shot from the wings.

“She isn’t very big, but she plays big,” Williams said. “She boxes out and rebounds well and is a versatile offensive threat also.”

Senior forward Lindsey Perry will provide a spark off the bench.

“Lindsey will give us good minutes underneath this season,” Williams said. “She boxes out and rebounds well.”

Junior guard Jessica Hudson also will see significant playing time this year.

“Jessica shoots the ball better than anybody on the floor,” Williams said. “She plays good defense and handles the ball well.”

Williams has high hopes for this year’s team and recognizes the new sectional alignment could play to its strengths.

“We are in a new section this year, and it’s tough like the last one, but if we play hard, we have a shot at winning,” she said.

The new section pits Sherman against Sissonville, Poca, Clay County and Herbert Hoover.

“We want to improve on last year’s season,” Williams said. “Our goal is to be over .500, but we want to go deep in the postseason.”

Sherman opened its season with a 27-26 overtime loss to Burch.

Sherman played host to Buffalo on Tuesday. Results for that game weren’t available for this week’s issue but will be published in next week’s edition.

Sherman Girls Basketball 2008-2009

12/9 H BURCH

12/16 H BUFFALO

12/18 A POCA

12/19 H MOUNT HOPE

12/19 A CHAPMANVILLE TOURNAMENT

12/30 A CHAPMANVILLE TOURNAMENT

1/6 A MOUNT HOPE

1/12 A BURCH

1/16 H LIBERTY-RALEIGH

1/20 H VAN

1/22 A BUFFALO

1/24 A HERBERT-HOOVER

1/27 A VAN

1/29 H WESTSIDE

1/30 A LIBERTY-RALEIGH

2/5 A WESTSIDE

2/9 H POCA

2/12 H HERBERT-HOOVER

2/16 H TEAYS VALLEY CHRISTIAN

2/19 H CHAPMANVILLE