BRAD HORN/Nevada Appeal Sophomore Gina Bianchi, left, and senior Christy Works, right, were two of only three returning players for the Carson Senators varsity squad this season. But their hard work and commitment to the team provided the other players an emotional spark during a tough rebuilding year.
BY MIKE HOUSER
Appeal Sports Writer
When Todd Ackerman took over this season as the Carson Senators girls basketball coach, the proverbial cupboard was nearly bare.
With returning junior center Cassie Vondrak out with a knee injury to start the season and the vast majority of last year's team not coming back for various reasons, Ackerman had only two returning players with any varsity experience: senior forward Christy Works, who last played as sophomore, and sophomore guard Gina Bianchi, who played as a freshman under former coach Ric Garcia.
"I told the parents we may not win a lot of games, but that we'd play hard. We did play hard," Ackerman said before the Senators closed out their 6-23 (3-11 in the Sierra League) season with a pair of wins over South Tahoe and Wooster. "They came out and gave their best effort every game."
THE HEART AND SOUL
Although all of its players contributed in a season where Carson was bound to take its lumps, Works - who spent her junior season as the team's manager - and Bianchi provided the spark and punch to a team whose never-say-die attitude and enthusiasm cast a ray of sunshine on what could have easily been a gloomy year.
The 5-foot-7 Works took it upon herself to lead the team - whether it was in the front- or backcourt - and the 16-year-old Bianchi came of age with a career-high 29-point breakout performance in a thrilling 47-45 loss to arch-rival Douglas on Jan. 14.
Ackerman, who coached Works for three seasons in track, said he was grateful to her for returning to a team that was bound to have more bad days than good ones.
"For Christy to come back and want to play was really important to our program," Ackerman said. "She brings a lot of toughness. She understands what's expected in order to play at the varsity level. A lot of girls coming in don't understand what's expected of them to play at the varsity level."
Ackerman said Works' practice habits - as well as her game-play - provided an example for the young team to follow.
"She's a competitor. She wants to be the best she can be and wants other people to match her intensity," Ackerman said. "That's hard to do. She works so hard."
Ackerman, who coached boys basketball at Lovelock and was an assistant to Douglas girls coach Werner Christen for a few years, said the sharpshooting Bianchi bore the full brunt of his assertive personality as he tried to mold her into being all she could be as a player.
"She is one player I'm not trying to demand too much from her, but I am demanding a lot from her. I'm probably demanding more from her than I should," Ackerman said. "At times she's struggled with that. I've talked to her about it.
"I'm on her a lot - only because I'm trying to get her to become more of a complete player. She understands she's not a complete player. There are a lot of things she needs to do to become a complete player. That's not truly fair with her being as young as she is. She's tried. That's all I can ask for."
At least for now. Next year, the 5-foot-8 Bianchi will be asked to step into the leadership role as well.
"I think she'll understand more what she needs to do when she comes back," Ackerman said. "She'll be one year older. I'm not the easiest person to play for. She'll have to be able to talk to the other girls and say, 'He's going to be on you, but it will be OK.'"
ALL ABOUT THE FUN
The 18-year-old Works, a member of the 2007 state cross country championship team and who competes in the 400-, 800-and 4 x 400-meter relay events for the CHS track team, said she was aware of the situation she was getting into.
"I knew going into the season that a lot of returners weren't coming back," said Works, who has won a regional championship in the 400. "I knew I'd probably be the only senior on the team. Mentally, as the only senior, I knew I had to step up and take the role and lead the girls.
"We were a young team. We had to compete and were able to. But we also had fun, which is what it's all about, The girls really had fun. And we got out on the court and played our hardest."
Works' passion for the game and her energy were easy to see. Whether it was diving on the floor and wrestling for a loose ball or visibly vibrating as she stood in a huddle during a timeout, Works' body language emanated intensity.
"She plays really hard all of time," Bianchi said of Works. "She's a great defender. She hustles all the time - she never quits, even at practice. She's that intense all the time - before a game and during a game.
"It has an effect in closer games. She fires everyone up. That's hard to do on a team that loses a lot."
And then there's the other side to Works.
"She's funny - she's always laughing," Bianchi said. "She always has something to say. She's outgoing and fun to be around."
SHOOTING STAR
Bianchi - who scored 26 first-half points and drained six 3-pointers in Carson's first game against Douglas - proved that she was not a one-game wonder and had three 20-point-plus games in a row to establish herself as the team's go-to shooter in only her second season.
"She's really a hard worker," Works said of her teammate. "She wants to play to win. She really steps it up. She's an example to the other girls. When she gets into the game, she's focused. She's one who gets hot - when she's on, she's on. You know you can dish her the ball. She's really a good basketball player."
Bianchi began playing basketball for the Shooting Stars in the third grade and has played club ball for Jam On it since she was six. She said she wasn't sure how many girls were returning this year, but it wouldn't have made a difference in her decision to come back.
"It surprised me (how few players returned) and Cassie was hurt at the time," Bianchi said. "I knew it would be rough, but as long as you love to play, it doesn't really matter. It's all about basketball.
"I like Coach Ackerman and Coach Garcia last year. As long as your coaches try to improve you, that's all they can do. (Ackerman) can get on us at times. It's rough at times, but it's constructive criticism."
'CHRISTY NIGHT'
Works will compete one final season for the CHS track team before heading off to the University of Nevada, Reno, where she plans on majoring in biochemistry.
She said she hopes to run for the Wolf Pack's track team while working her way toward medical school with an emphasis on sports medicine.
Works, an active member of the 4-H Club (she raises sheep, a steer and dairy cattle), said she reads anything she can get her hands on when she's not in school or training. She said she's hoping to lower her personal record of 58.2 seconds in the 400 (she's run an unofficial 57) while helping the Senators get over one last hurdle.
"I'm hoping the track team can win state - we've been runners-up the last two years," Works said. "We have a new track team. They're great girls."
As the Senators' only senior, Works said she received an extra perk for Senior Night a week ago, when Carson played North Valleys.
"It was a lot of fun. I was walking to school and people were saying, 'It's Christy Night tonight," she said. "I had my own night named after me. It was really cool."
OPTIONS, OPTIONS
With a year under both Ackerman and Garcia, and with two more seasons of club and high school basketball left, the 16-year-old Bianchi's on-court future looks bright. In fact, if she keeps working toward Ackerman's goal for her to become a complete player, she may even have an opportunity to play college ball.
That said, Bianchi said as much as she loves the game, it's not the be-all, end-all.
"If that happens, great, but it's not my main focus," Bianchi said. "I'm still thinking about things I want to do. I love playing basketball, but if it doesn't happen, it wouldn't be the end of the world for me.
"There are a lot of things I want to do. I want to go around the world. I don't have any specific goals. I'm open-minded about what I'm going to do."
Bianchi, who likes to play both acoustic and electric guitar ("I'm not good, but I can play a few notes," she said), likes English (not math) and may look into taking psychology courses down the road.
In the meantime, Bianchi will continue to play under the watchful eye of Ackerman and her own fan club, which is comprised of her ever-present father, Ben, mother Karen, and her 13-year-old sister, Carli.
As surely as the sun will rise each day, Ben can be found in the stands at her games.
"He's definitely been there since the beginning - every game," Bianchi said. "He's very supportive. He's always there for me. So's my mom - just not as loud. They've taken me to tournaments and they're always there. They're why I have my skills today."
And that will be part of the reason when Ackerman looks at his team next year, that cupboard will be a lot better stocked.
• Contact Mike Houser at mhouser@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1220