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Raider Girls Strong, Quick

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By DAREK SHARP, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 1, 2007

PLANT CITY - Trying to formulate a starting five is something all basketball coaches must go through, and generally it's not a time-consuming process.

But that has not played out so naturally for the Plant City High girls basketball team. That's just fine by Ginger Forte.

"If you ask me, I have two starting lineups I can go with. All of them are capable of starting," said Forte, who is in her third year as the Raiders coach.

Forte is pleased with her team's depth.

And its quickness? That's a topic Forte really enjoys getting into.

Led by point guard Tekeyah Clark, and bolstered by other players such as Collisha Walker, Tam Bettis, Tanay Tatum and Forte's daughter Jade, the Raiders are a blur on the court.

"I mean, these girls can fly up and down. We have the quickest players," Forte said.

The one player who does not fit the fleet description, because she is not expected to, is standout center Sade Dunkley, who is primed for a strong senior season. Dunkley has been the team's leading scorer the past two years.

In their first week of games the Raiders went 2-1, losing a tight one to Sarasota then bouncing back to defeat Durant. The other win was over Newsome.

Dunkley scored 12 points in the Durant win, Clark scored 11 and Walker added nine.

Forte thinks the team might have gained more out of the Sarasota defeat than it did in the two early victories.

"I think the girls mentally remember Sarasota, as being a tough team to beat, maybe thinking we can't beat them. But I think they saw they can hang with them," Forte said.

Adding to the Raider arsenal is Quet Shaw, who burst onto the scene as the quarterback on Plant City's flag football team last spring. Shaw was in a car accident that prevented her from being able to play in the Raiders' postseason football game.

"But she is back to normal now. She's awesome too," Forte said.

The coach is excited about having her daughter on the team. Jade Forte - a sophomore who certainly fits right in on the quickness front - missed last season with a knee injury.

As a group, the players have shown something Forte had not seen as coach here.

"They're so cohesive," Forte said. "They understand each other so well, they want to do what it takes to win. I don't have to deal with any attitudes."

The Raiders have a pivotal week upcoming in terms of district play, taking on three 6A-8 opponents in a span of four nights. The Raiders visit East Bay High on Tuesday, then host Riverview High on Wednesday and meet Sarasota High again Friday.

Reporter Darek Sharp can be reached at dsharp@tampatrib .com.

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