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Snyder junior Kamiah Davis prepared to shoot a three-pointer during a game this past season. Davis led the Lady Tigers with 12.9 points per game and will play a big role for the 2021 Lady Tigers. -
Natalee James drove into the paint. James was named Co-MVP alongside Davis. She will continue her basketball career at Hardin-Simmons University.
Due to COVID-19, the Snyder Lady Tiger basketball team was forced to cancel its annual awards banquet.
But that did not stop head coach T’Leah Eicke and her team from getting together using Google Hangout, an app similar to Zoom.
Junior Melanie Martinez was presented with the Fighting Heart Award, which is given to the hardest worker on the team who also plays with heart and passion.
Eicke said that Martinez stood out due to her work ethic.
“She’s one that we called our garbage man,” she said. “She never was our high scorer, but she was a vital part of our team because she would come out of nowhere and get steals and rebounds. She always went 110 percent and she is that player that will do anything you ask of her. She is giving it her all.”
Martinez missed the back end of the season due to an injury.
Eicke said Martinez is using the time-off to recuperate and prepare for her senior season.
“She is doing well,” Eicke said. “Hopefully she will be ready to go. This time off is going to help her because she is a three-sport athlete. She gives everything that she has to everything that she does. She is a good kid.”
The Most Improved Award went to sophomore Abby Benitez. Eicke said she is expecting Benitez to step into a bigger role as a junior.
“(Benitez) has come a long way,” Eicke said. “She has gained tons of confidence in bringing down the ball and that is what I am going to need next year. She has worked really hard to gain that confidence. As a junior and senior, she can only improve more.”
Sixth Woman of the Year went to senior Mayce Herrington and junior Hayley Humphrey. Eicke said she split the award because the two filled similar roles in 2020, but each brought unique skill sets.
Martinez and junior Kamiah Davis were named co-Defensive MVPs.
Davis was also named co-Offensive MVP alongside senior Natalee James. James and Davis also shared the Free Throw Award and the MVP Award.
Davis finished the season with 12.9 points per game, with James just behind at 12.6.
The two also led the Lady Tigers in rebounds.
“When they were both on, it was great,” Eicke said. “I could move (Kamiah) all over the floor defensively and she was at the top of our press (defense). Kamiah and Natalee were our top scorers. They worked well together. If one wasn’t on one game, the other was, so it helped to have both of them. They were our two best shooters.”
Five of the seven award recipients will be back for the 2021 season, and Eicke said she is excited about the future of the Lady Tiger program.
“It makes me feel good that I have these young ones coming back,” she said. “I also have some good eighth graders coming up. I’ll probably start them out on JV but I could definitely bring some of them up. It’ll be an exciting year next year.”