Lady Champs chase postseason victory

Friday the Cascade girls attempted to do something no one on the roster has ever done -- win a postseason game.

After losing in the Nos. 4-5 seed game the last two seasons to rival Community, the same pair were set to tip off in yet another elimination showdown in the opening round of the District 9-A tournament at Forrest High School.

Leading the way are top scorer and Motlow State verbal commit M.K. Potts. She, along with sophomore Jessica Popp, and an occasional freshman provide most of the points each night out for the Lady Champions (16-8), who are also shooting for their highest win total since the 2003-04 season.

"We play good at Forrest," third-year Cascade coach Chad Spencer said. "M.K.'s always shot the ball good there ever since she was in sixth grade. We shot the ball good (there) the other night. I just hope we come out with that fire wanting to overachieve. Survive nand advance when it gets to district time is what I've been told. Survive and advance -- that's what we're going to do. I really think that we'll have two teams from our district in the state tournament."

Potts and Popp saw floor time in last year's 59-50 loss to the Viqueens, but Cascade sports a roster very thin on postseason experience.

"I've got 10 girls now that have never dressed out in the postseason in their lives. So, who knows? We'll try to simulate some stuff in practice. We've got to come out and play," Spencer said.

Sometimes ignorance is bliss. Perhaps this freshman-laden team won't feel any added pressure as it attempts to get the Bell Buckle/Wartrace school in the region tournament for the first time since the 2005-06 season.

"These young girls that I've got want to take this program to the next level," said Spencer, whose current career record is 42-31. "I have confidence in them, and I hope they have confidence in me."

The Orange and Black haven't won more than one postseason game in a season since the 2002-03 team finished second to Moore County in the District 11-A tournament before falling to Summertown in the Region 6-A tourney.

Cascade has had success versus Community recently. Even though the Viqueens won the last two when it mattered most, the Lady Champions have won the last four regluar-season contests with both wins this year coming in overtime.

"It is extremely hard to beat a team three times," Spencer said. "You've got one side that thinks, 'We've won twice.' They're not going to be as intense or motivated as the other team that's been beaten twice.

"Really the pressure's on us. We can't start off slow. When it gets to the district tournament, you've got to win every quarter. All your fundamentals and all that stuff comes into play -- free throws, taking care of the basketball."