BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER
Before she was approved as the Mercedes girls basketball coach on Tuesday, Monica Meza already made it her job to know everything about the Lady Tigers.
Last season as an assistant coach for the Sharyland High Lady Rattlers, Meza scouted Mercedes before the teams met in their Class 5A bi-district playoff game.
“We started right away,” Meza said. “I’m definitely a person who likes to go into a situation prepared. I started immediately watching (Mercedes) and getting prepared. We really took some time figuring out how to get the best out of our girls to get past them. They’re pretty impressive.”
Though Sharyland bested Mercedes 50-32, Meza nonetheless saw plenty of talent on her future team.
“I feel like kids that they have, fit the style that I like to coach,” she said. “They’re fast, they’re defensive minded, and I’m that type of coach. I like the way they play… It seemed like a good fit.”
Meza takes over for former Lady Tigers coach Marisa Guiterrez, who left for the same position as PSJA Memorial earlier this year. Under Gutierrez, Mercedes won back-to-back district championships, including a 13-1 district record last season.
“I feel pretty confident in my abilities,” Meza said. “I’ve worked with some great people and have been with teams that have already experienced playoff success. So, to go to a team that has already experienced that, I’m looking to just make the transition process smooth for the kids. Hopefully, we can continue to have the success that we’ve been having.”
The Lady Tigers lost three senior starters from last season, including the front court duo of Summer Vento and Mere Guevara. Combined, they averaged 13 points and 14 rebounds per game. Graduating guard Deidra Barroso averaged 6 points and 2.5 steals.
Though Mercedes looks to be smaller and reliant on guard play heading into next season, Meza still sees a talented roster at her disposal.
“They have some incredible players,” she said. “They have a lot of girls coming back. They’ve got a lot of talent on that team and I look forward to working with them.”
Meza has been an assistant coach for nine years. She is a native of the Dallas area, and worked for four years as an assistant at Liberty High School in Frisco. Meza moved to the Valley last year to be closer to family. This year will mark her first as a head coach.