ISLE OF WIGHT
Last year, the Isle of Wight Academy Lady Chargers finished at 15-8 and were in second place in VISAA Div. II Metro Conference play.

That was good enough to earn Head Coach Chris Hooper’s team the 10th seed in the VISAA Div. II State Tournament, which was an improvement from the year before when they were the 11th seed, and three years ago when they were 12th.

“We’ve been building up to it through a slow progression,” said Hooper, in his 9th season. “Each year we have improved just a little.”

Out of three games so far this season, Isle of Wight Academy is 2-1. They defeated Suffolk Christian 71-10 on Nov. 18 in a game where senior center Carson Saunders had 15 points. They followed up that win by defeating Kenston Forest on Nov. 21 48-32. Gabriella Hooper had 14 points and Brooke Olsavicky 13.

On Nov. 25, they were defeated by Brunswick Academy 31-23. Gabriella Hooper had a double-double, 11 points and 12 rebounds. All of these games were on the road.

The first home game will be on Dec. 9 against Denbigh Baptist.

Hooper said the season was young, and they had some work to do.

“We have some returning players, and then some less experienced players that are newer to basketball,” he said. “But if we can get everybody on the same page, especially defensively, I think we can compete with everybody.”

Hooper expects the team to be around the 15-8 mark again this year, though he said if people gel right they can take it further.

“It’s a work in progress,” Hooper said. “The big thing is for Gabriella, Brooke, Carson and one other senior that played last year, Nani Castillo, to all be good leaders. We need to bring the newer players in with the older ones, and try to get the mix right.

“If we develop the way I hope we will, we could possibly be better.”

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Coach Chris Hooper’s daughter, a starting forward, averaged 16.7 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game last season. The 5-foot-10 senior is expected to continue to be the scorer, though Hooper said he hopes to see her points to assists ratio go up. “She can create her own shot, but the thing about that is it opens up opportunities for others,” Chris Hooper said. “I want to see her pull the attention on her, but then be able to get the ball to other girls for open shots.”

The 6-foot-1 senior averaged 5 points per game last year, while bringing down 4.4 rebounds per game. When Saunders is on, Hooper said she’s what he’d call a true basketball player. “Carson is doing a good job for us,” Hooper said. “The big thing for her is just consistency. Game in, game out, I need her to be consistent.”

NUMBERS TO KNOW

5 – The IWA Lady Chargers has been above .500 for 5 straight years.

49.8 – The team averaged 49.8 points per game last season and had a record of 15-8.

3 – The Lady Chargers have made the VISAA State Playoffs 3 years in a row.

SCHEDULE

Varsity games typically start at 7 p.m. The Tidewater Academy games will start at 6 p.m. Bolded games are at home. The VISAA Metro Conference Tournament will be from Feb. 18-20, and the VISAA Div. II state tournament will be Feb. 24-28. Metro Conference games noted with *

Nov. 18 – Suffolk Christian(W 71-10)
Nov. 21 – Kenston Forest Academy (W 48-32)
Nov. 25 – Brunswick Academy (L 31-23)
Dec. 2 – Tidewater Academy
Dec. 9 – Denbigh Baptist *
Dec. 12 – Nansemond-Suffolk Academy
Dec. 16 – Atlantic Shores Christian *
Dec. 18 – Williamsburg Christian Academy *
Dec. 19 – Norfolk Academy
Jan. 6 – Broadwater Academy *
Jan. 8 – Stone Bridge *
Jan. 10 – Alliance Christian Academy *
Jan. 12 – Suffolk Christian
Jan. 16 – Norfolk Academy
Jan. 23 – Denbigh Baptist Christian *
Jan. 27 – Stone Bridge *
Jan. 30 – Atlantic Shores *
Feb. 2 – Broadwater Academy *
Feb. 3 – Williamsburg Christian Academy *
Feb. 6 – Broadwater Academy *
Feb. 9 – Tidewater Academy
Feb. 11 – Kenston Forest Academy
Feb. 13 – Alliance Christian Academy *