STATE EXTRA: The picture is clear for Lee

STAUNTON — For a team with no seniors and seven underclassmen, the Robert E. Lee girls basketball team is confident about its chances this week in the Group AA, Division 3 tournament.

“We had a clear picture that we were going to make it,” Kemani Crawford said. “We didn’t want to get too cocky; we just took things as they came. We set goals that we wanted to achieve and we made them.”

After walloping Graham on Friday in the quarterfinals, the Lee Ladies will take on another challenge today – Lord Botetourt. The Ladies narrowly beat Lord Botetourt in the Region III, Division 3 finals.

“We came back from 13-down and we always believed we could do that, but now we really believe we can do it,“ said Lee coach Jeremy Hartman.

Hartman is still trying to figure out how the Lee Ladies became the powerhouse that they were during this season.

“I really can’t explain it myself,” he said.

When the season started, the young R.E. Lee squad was cautious about its chances, but was also confident.

“Our season started off, not really knowing what to expect with such a young group and seeing how much our potential grew,” said Lee’s Blair McDonough

The Lee Ladies grew into a Southern Valley District champion, running through the district undefeated. Daquaa Scott, a sophomore, said that Lee’s success didn’t come from just skill, but a strong off the court relationship between the players.

“We all love each other,” she said. “We don’t have attitudes and there isn’t any drama.”

Adding to Lee’s excitement is that none of its players will be graduating this season, making next year’s chances at a return to the dance even greater.

“To me it feels good knowing that we will be playing again and it just feels good that we aren’t losing anybody,” Crawford said.

Scott said Lee will be back in the Group AA, Division 3 tournament next season.

Hartman said that through the region and state tournaments, he wasn’t trying to focus on what other teams do, but rather focus on what his team does well.

“We are just worrying about what we do well,” he said.

The Lee Ladies will take on the Lord Botetourt today at 3 p.m. at the Siegel Center in Richmond.