Girls’ Basketball Legacy Continues

Crowd cheering, players yelling, state championship on the line, Piedmont pulls away to win their second consecutive state championship in 2005. Twenty years later the team has won two state championships, NCS championships, and had countless winning seasons, built on over 20 years of hard work, star players, and a winning culture.
Brian Gardere joined as head coach just as the team reached its most successful era. In 2004 and 2005 the team won their two state championships, led by star players Courtney and Ashley Paris.
“I started in 2003, when Courtney and Ashley Paris moved to Piedmont. We won two state championships with them,” Gardere said.
According to the PHS hall of fame, the team was ranked top ten in the country, and included nine players who went on to play in college. Courtney and Ashley Paris both went on to play at the University of Oklahoma, and then the WNBA.
“Since then we’ve always been competitive, winning 30 games, going deep in the playoffs,” Gardere said.
Even once the Paris twins left, the team has kept on winning, even with multiple years not being projected high [in rankings], Gardere said hard work, team chemistry, and consistency play a big role in their prolonged success, along with keeping things light in the offseason.
“We’re practicing 5-6 days a week throughout the whole year, the gym’s always open for players that want to work, but we also make sure it’s not too high pressure, in the offseason if you can’t be there that’s okay, we shoot, we have fun, we get better,” Gardere said.
Gardere said that it’s the players leading the culture of hard work.
“We’ve always had great leaders. Someone will be getting extra shots, and the whole team will follow. Whenever a season ends, the players want to get straight back in the gym. That really helps us stay competitive against high level teams,” Gardere said.
Piedmont alumni players such as Natalia Martinez, Ny’Dajah Jackson and Ameela Lee have led their teams through their work ethic.
“Players like Natalia always bring the rest of their team up. Natalia set the bar so high for players and even coaches, everyone had to crank it up a bit, because everyone saw how committed she was,” Gardere said.
Along with hard work, captain senior Shakila Zuberi said that the winning culture and history of success has always motivated her and her team to do better.
“[The past success of the team] is very motivating, rather than adding pressure in a bad way. It really gives you confidence. You know if they did it before you, you can do it too,” Zuberi said.
Gardere said the players from previous years help keep current players focused. Even with less strong teams, the players from previous years keep players accountable.
Despite their continued success, the team has faced challenges throughout the last twenty years. From struggling players to small team sizes, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing.
“Not every player loves the game like other players do,” Gardere said. “It’s all about adapting how you coach, and giving the player what they need, whether it’s encouragement, a little tough love, connecting with them, or just letting them know I believe in them.”
Piedmont has recently struggled with smaller team sizes.
“It’s a big challenge always staying competitive. We play schools that are just bigger and deeper, but we always fight really hard no matter what,” Gardere said.
Zuberi said that Piedmont will continue to be a successful program.
“Younger players are skilled a lot sooner. We care less about what grade you’re in and more about how good you are,” Zuberi said. “[Any future players] I would tell them to be intentional, and always respect your teammates, it’s definitely only up from here.”