SULPHUR — The trademark of Sulphur girls’ basketball over the past few years was clear. Its success was built on shooters.

Perimeter-oriented players like Hannah Cupit, Becca Brooks and Ally Cupit provided dead-eye accuracy and as a result the Lady Tors won a lot of basketball games.

However, times have changed at Sulphur. All those players have graduated — Hannah Cupit now plays at McNeese and Brooks at LSU-Eunice — and head coach Helen LeFevre has adapted the team’s attack to utilize a talented set of post players in seniors Cierra Wilson and Lauren Pace.

The results have been familiar. The Lady Tors enter tonight’s big District 3-5A showdown against Sam Houston (22-2, 5-2) with a 16-5 overall record and unbeaten in six district games.

“We knew right after graduation that we’d have to be more of an inside-oriented team,” LeFevre said. “Because we knew Pace and Wilson and their strengths. We’ve had to adjust what we’ve done over the past four or five years. Our guards give us enough outside shooting to keep most teams honest with us.”

LeFevre knew heading into this season that with the departure of Brooks and Ally Cupit that her team would be making this change. She attributes the ease of the transition to her senior class — Wilson, Pace, Taylee Kuykendall and Kourtney Brooks. All four players saw significant minutes last year.

“We have four senior starters that all got considerable playing time last season, so we’ve got some experience,” LeFevre said. “That’s kind of carried us through a couple close games.”

Each senior adds something different to the team through her particular skill set.

“We’ve got an inside game this year, something we haven’t had in quite some time in Sulphur,” LeFevre said. “Pace and Wilson do a really good inside job scoring and rebounding for us. We’ve been able to be at least competitive on the boards in the games we’ve been in. Kuykendall kind of directs everything for us. She can penetrate, shoot the outside shot and usually draws the other team’s best offensive player on defense. Brooks does all the little things for us. She plays defense and is an excellent passer.”

But, this year the Lady Tors have more competition at the top of 3-5A than they had in year’s past, their primary threat being tonight’s opponent. Sam Houston features an inside-outside game that has been successful all year. The Lady Broncos are currently the No. 1-ranked team in the Class 5A power rankings and also feature a stifling defense to go along with an efficient offense.

“Sam Houston has got a tremendous all-around game,” LeFevre said. “They’ve got it inside and outside and their guards can penetrate. They just have so may weapons.

“It’s going to take our best defensive effort of the year to compete with them. (Head coach Jason) Jagneaux does such a good job of getting all of them involved.”

(Rick Hickman/American Press)

Rick Hickman