THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 11, 1996 TAG: 9602090186
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 26 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, CLIPPER SPORTS EDITOR
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
WHAT'S GOOD FOR her Deep Creek girls basketball team is what's best for Anecia Braithwaite.
Even if it meant playing in the shadows of her Norfolk State-bound teammates Michelle Boyd and Tamara Sivels last season.
And even if it meant running 80 laps after practice this season.
Braithwaite has adjusted quickly to her role as the Hornets' top scorer (16.4 per game) and rebounder (8). She also dishes out a team-leading seven assists per game. Quite a jump from the six points a game she posted as a sophomore.
``We had more people who could score last year,'' the 5-foot-7 junior guard said. ``We needed someone to step up, and I just did.''
Now, there's no slowing her down.
Before the Deep Creek-Wilson game, Braithwaite's trek to practice was stymied when someone told her the Hornets would not practice because of a blackout at the school. A few phone calls later, Braithwaite discovered she was missing practice for the first time in her career. Still, she made the last 20 minutes.
``Coach told me that I could either sit out the first half or run 80 laps,'' she said. ``I think my team was disappointed in me for not coming to practice. So I ran to set an example.''
The 25-minute run was nothing to Braithwaite, though to Deep Creek coach Otis Etheridge, it seemed like a lifetime.
``It was long,'' he said. ``I got tired myself watching her.''
But going the distance is her trademark. Braithwaite, who plays both ends of the floor with a fury, despises coming out of a game, even when she's exhausted.
``If we didn't take her off the court,'' Etheridge said, ``she'd fall out right there. She's the hardest-working player I've ever coached. She goes 110 percent. We've had to make adjustments to slow her down and get her more relaxed.''
Her blazing speed in no way means that Braithwaite is out of control. She's most comfortable on the run with a basketball in her hand and seems calm and collected on the floor.
``I just hate playing a slow game,'' she said.
Even more, she detests not being able to play at all.
The icy road conditions may have kept her team from two of its games and practices, but it didn't freeze Braithwaite's game.
``She got upset when we didn't play Friday and Tuesday,'' Etheridge said. ``Then she was mad because we didn't practice. So she called a couple of players and went to the recreation center. She's miserable when she's not playing basketball.''
Added Braithwaite: ``I can't go too long without playing. We need the practice. We don't want to go out and embarrass ourselves.''
The Hornets, once among the Southeastern District elite winning three straight league crowns, have hardly embarrassed themselves with a 5-5 district record. It's not as good as Braithwaite might like, but she's confident her young team will come around.
Now if Etheridge can just convince his brightest star that she doesn't have to carry the weight of the team on her shoulders.
``She's got a good attitude,'' Etheridge said. ``But sometimes she tries to take all the responsibility.
``She always wants the coaching staff to push her. If every player were like Anecia Braithwaite, we could go to the state championship.'' ILLUSTRATION: HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Anecia Braithwaite is the Hornets' top scorer and rebounder.
by CNB