High School Sports Live Team of the Week

Yates Lady Lions

As the defending 4A State Champions, the Jack Yates Lions boys' basketball team have drawn their fair share of attention during their undefeated and dominating season. But they're not the only team making their mark on the hardwood at Yates.

The Yates Lady Lions, like their counterparts, are undefeated this season with a perfect 16-0 record and have the honor of being named this week's Team of the Week. So what's their secret to success? According to Coach Patrick Augbon, hard work plays a part but so does watching the boys' team.

"We are (the boys) biggest supporters," Augbon said. "We support them 100 percent. (The girls) go to all their games. They look at them. They talk about it, and then they say, ‘Coach, can we do this? Can we do that?' It inspires them. They always want to do things the boys do."

What the girls would like to get as much as the boys do is attention.

"They get a lot of attention, and we feel like we deserve just as much attention as they (get) because we're undefeated just like they are but because they won state last year and they're winning national championships, we're kind of in the shadow," Chardai Thomas said. "But we're working our way to the top."

Just like the guys, the Lady Lions are lighting up the scoreboard, averaging 80 points a game with five starters in double figures.

In a recent win over Westbury, senior Deann Darjean recorded a rare quadruple double with 21 points, 15 rebounds, 11 steals and 10 assists.

"It was great," Darjean said. "It's never happened to me so the feeling was nice."

And even better feeling is that undefeated season.

"They've been dedicated," Augbon said. "They've played very hard in every game. We've been fortunate enough to be undefeated at this time."