By FREDDY GONZALEZ
Staff Writer
Lyford — When everything is said and done, and the all that is left is an empty gymnasium filled with forgotten memories, seniors Rebekah Perez and Miranda Ramirez will always be able to look back as say they gave it all they had.
Five years of long practices and five years hard work to get to the point where they stand today, all for a chance to live a dream only a select few will ever get.
As the legendary Michael Jordan once said, “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen” there is no doubt Perez and Ramirez have made this season happen.
It wasn’t long ago when the Lyford basketball program struggled to reach .500, going 7-21 overall and 0-7 in district play. Now the duo have rewritten the books at Lyford High School and have the team ranked 22nd in the state for the fourth week in a row.
However the stats speak for themselves and show exactly how vital the two are for the team.
Defensively Rebekah Perez is unmatched accumulating 403 rebounds this season averaging 13.3 a game with 71 steals. Offensively she has 295 points this year, with an average of 10 points per game.
“Rebekah is the captain and leads by example not just on the court but in the classroom as well,” said Lyford head coach Teresa Gutierrez. “Anything that deals with the team goes through her. A lot of other coaches don’t like to assign too much responsibility to their captains but Rebekah is that vital for the team.”
Ramirez has been the offensive specialist for the team this season racking up 335 points per game averaging 12.4 points per game. On the defensive side of the ball she has accumulated 268 rebounds and 86 steals.
“Miranda is a gamer and when she turns that switch on it’s an instant burst of offense,” said Gutierrez. “There are some shots that I don’t even know how they go in but they do and its fun to watch.”
With seasons end looming the Perez and Ramirez had time to reflect about what they will miss the most.
“The majority of us are seniors and this is the closest we’ve ever been,” said Perez. “I’m going to miss practice the most, because you forget about everything when you come to practice.”
“But it also feels good knowing that she (coach Gutierrez) trusts me so much because I would trust any of these girls with anything too.”
“The one thing I will miss the most will be the team,” said Ramirez. “I’ve been playing (varsity) since my freshman year but this is the closest team I have ever been on. I’m also going to miss Coach T (Teresa Gutierrez) because treats us like we’re her children.”
This Friday the Lady Bulldogs face Odem in Bishop at 7:30 p.m.