Despite a 21-11 record and a second-place finish in District 3-2A in the 1999-200 season, Ferriday Lady Trojans head basketball coach Lisa Abron said her 2000-2001 team will do even better.

Why? Defense, which Abron said was something last year’s team didn’t have.

&uot;We’re going to concentrate a lot on defense this year,&uot; she said.

Another reason? The return of three All-District players and four seniors.

&uot;I’ve got a lot of good shooters on the team,&uot; Abron said.

Among last year’s All-District players is sophomore guard/forward Monique Jones (5-8), who averaged 21.3 points and nine rebounds a game. Jones was Ferriday’s leading scorer last year.

Also coming back are senior center/forward Jessica Griggs (5-8), who averaged 10.5 points a game, and sophomore guard LaShawnda Pryor, who averaged 12.5 points a game.

The other seniors returning are guard/forward Keeshan Clark (5-7) and forwards Tiffany Jefferson (5-6) and Crystal Jones (5-6).

Abron, however, will be without the services of junior forward Torisheka Taylor, an All-District player who averaged 17.6 points a game last year, until January. Taylor tore an ACL and will have surgery next week, Abron said.

&uot;She will be a big loss for our team for a while,&uot; Abron said.

Abron said the last spot in the starting lineup is simply &uot;open for grabs.&uot;

&uot;We have a 6-1 sophomore in center Shanell Jones,&uot; she continued. &uot;We expect big things from her. Another one is sophomore forward Latasha Cain, who came off the bench last year.&uot;

Abron said her team has a good chance of winning the district title this year, but that are a couple of teams that could stand in its way.

&uot;Vidalia won district last year,&uot; she said. &uot;They are definitely the team to beat. We spoiled their chances of going undefeated in district last year when we beat them the last game of the season. McCall’s always tough. They only lost a couple of seniors.&uot;

Also, Ferriday plays two of its district foes, Vidalia and Block, in tournaments this year, which will help them get ready for district play.

&uot;We’re going to see what they do and how they play,&uot; she said. &uot;I know we’ll play Vidalia four or five times. Those games early will help us a lot.&uot;

Another thing the Lady Trojans will have in their favor are home games at the recently renovated high school gym for the first time in quite a few years after having to play at the seventh grade gym.

The Lady Trojans’ season begins Nov. 11 as Ferriday hosts the Concordia Jamboree.