PGH Circuit Team Profile: El Paso Hurricanes
I love speaking with new people, I really do, it’s when the conversation takes a different turn off the top and someone tried to explain to me how it works is when I actually start to go to the left so my enjoyable chat with El Paso Hurricanes Director and Head Coach Deborah Anderson has me excited to see her squad on the court. I caught them once or twice in passing last season yet this season, both of my eyes will be fully on her squad
Again, I am a Regional Scout for Prep Girls Hoops, I will be covering the Dynasty Region and I’ve dropped a couple of articles on teams that will be participating in this PLATFORM, keep in mind to get in where you fit in because the main objective is to be seen and all you have to do is perform, it’s that simple so with articles on Texas Cagers Select and Houston Lady Nets, I’m about to drop this one on the El Paso Lady Hurricanes and I’ll close with someone who I have known forever and actually recruited my daughter, Director and Head Coach of Team Stay Ready, Shanice Ready
Coach Anderson is from Oklahoma City and since Oklahoma is OK, I asked about her background “I played a season after high school 99/00 playing basketball for Baumholder, Germany (bears). Shortly afterward, I discovered I was pregnant. 2001 I got married and am currently married (20+) to the same man. We have 4 children. We moved to New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, Fort Sill Oklahoma, Anchorage Alaska, and currently El Paso Texas”
She is also retired military so this is what she said about getting her start coaching ” Every duty station I have coached. I coached grown men (unit ball), YMCA (youth), club ball (all ages). I played and currently play women’s recreation ball. I have played in several 3 on 3 tournaments which provided me opportunities to participate in Spokane Hoopfest (2011) and the pleasure to play with And1 street ballers ( 2010)”
I asked about her coming to Texas and she said “we moved to El Paso in 2013 where I volunteered to coach the 5th-grade team at PDN. After the season the young ladies wanted to continue playing, so I already assisted coaching with Eric Bostic, a 7th-grade team that my oldest daughter Triniti was on”
Since being in El Paso, she has helped make a difference, here’s why “Over the ten years here in El Paso I have coached the same young ladies until they moved on to the next level or decided that other opportunities are better choices for them” and some of the players that have gone on to the next level are
Triniti Anderson 2019 attended HSU transfer 2021 to Northland College
Sonya Dozier 2019 attends Trinidad State
Alexandria Monic 2020 attends Central Wyoming
Heavyn Proctor 2021 attended Northland College
I asked about the pillars they instill and she responded “It is of the most important for our players to understand the value of self, leadership, on and off the court, teamwork, integrity, pride, and commitment” she also added ” I love this game of basketball. I enjoy teaching, coaching, and mentoring our generation to come. We encourage on and off the court’s top performance.”
I then asked about what’s coming on this season’s squad and here are some of the top players
Amaris Ambriz (El Paso High) 2022
Ambriz also sees the floor and throws crisp passes on the money plus she has good mid to long-range
Juliana Hernandez (Emmanuel Christian)2022
Hernandez is a tough “on the ball” defender that sees the floor and can handle the ball under pressure
Mirakle Anderson ( Eastwood High) 2023
Anderson can shoot it, has good range, and can take the defender off the dribble and score
Hannah Ayala ( Emmanuel Christian) 2023
Ayala is a double-double waiting to happen, blocks shots, rebounds and finishes strongly
Underrated
Mariyah Hubbard (Chapin High) 2023
Hubbard has huge upside, gets after it baseline to baseline, does things that don’t necessarily appear on the stat sheet
Alina Lopez (Eastwood High) 2023
Lopez has a nice first step to get the defender off balance, also helps that she can drop the long ball plus she can defend
Others equally important
Asha Williams (Eastwood High) 2023
Williams defends and blocks shots, can also drop the long ball
Amaya Williams (Eastwood High) 2024
Willaims can defend “on the ball” as well as score “off the dribble”
Natalia Thomas (El Paso High) 2024
Thomas rebounds strongly, on both ends yet her upside is huge
I asked Coach Anderson what was her reasoning for joining the Prep Girls Circuit and she said “peace of mind and because we love how it’s set-up which will give her girls a chance to be noticed”
I then asked for a takeaway from our conversation and this closed it ” the reassurance of steering my players in the right direction”