Memphis' East High girls playing better than expected

from Commercial Appeal

With about a quarter of the high school basketball season gone, the Memphis girls team with the best record isn't Central or Overton, which both have been regulars at the state tournament in recent years.
And it's not one of the area's Division 2 powers either.

Step forward, East High.

Through Tuesday's games, the Lady Mustangs are sporting a perfect 7-0 record. That mark includes a victory over Overton in the championship game of last month's Martin Luther King tournament, the only loss the Wolverines have suffered.

"Honestly, I'm not surprised," said Mustangs coach Wanda Hunt. "I'm pleased but I'm not surprised. We went to FCA camp over the summer and I told the players then, 'if you work hard enough you get can what you want.'

"All the credit goes to them."

Hunt has molded this year's Mustangs squad, ranked No. 2 in The Dandy Dozen, around its strengths. East isn't very big; in fact, it starts five guards, all of whom are seniors. But they can get up and down the floor and shoot extremely well, causing problems for opposing defense if anyone is left open.

No Mustang has been in a better groove than Javeisha White. The 5-5 White poured in 43 points in a victory over Craigmont on Monday and is well on her way to improving on the 10 points per game she averaged last year.

"She's just been shooting the cover off the ball," said Hunt, who is in her 16th year. "She's playing more relaxed this year, just playing ball."

Hunt also praised the play of her two — so far — college signees, Texas-Arlington bound Janeka Williams and Artasia Carnes-Marshall, who is headed to Kennesaw State. It's a formidable line-up, one that will surely win many more games as the season unfolds.

But Hunt isn't getting ahead of herself.

"We're just taking it one ball game at a time," she said with a laugh.