Holy Family has repeat on radar

Holy Family needs to overcome loss of Giltner

By John Rosa, Special to the Rocky

Published November 30, 2008 at 9:46 p.m.

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Taylor Helbig admitted she had a couple of freshman moments last season, but they didn't last long. The situation wouldn't allow it.

Helbig, a point guard on the Holy Family basketball team, was thrown into the fire almost immediately, earning a starting spot on a team that was in contention for the Class 3A state championship.

She wasn't alone, though. Sarah Talamantes, a fellow freshman and one of Helbig's closest friends, also was a starter in the Tigers' backcourt. The two supported each other throughout the season, and with very accepting teammates around them, by the time Holy Family made its way to Moby Arena for the state tournament, Helbig and Talamantes no longer felt like freshmen.

"There were times last year where we were flabbergasted by the whole situation," Helbig said. "But when we were up at state, we didn't think of ourselves as freshmen. We were just part of the team."

They proved how much a part they were, coming up big during crucial moments of Holy Family's 38-33 championship victory against rival Faith Christian. Talamantes sparked a 6-0 run that gave the Tigers a 33-25 lead early in the fourth, and then Helbig hit three big free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

This season, the two will play an even bigger role in Holy Family's repeat bid.

Despite losing Jessica Giltner, the player of the year last season, to graduation, the Tigers are ranked No. 1.

Senior Dori Gills, a second-team all-state selection who averaged 14.5 points a game as a junior, should make a run at player of the year this season, and despite being sophomores, Helbig and Talamantes give the team an experienced presence in the backcourt.

"They handled the pressure of last season so well," Holy Family coach Ron Rossi said. "I threw a lot of X's and O's at them, and they took it all in stride. They have great basketball intellect."

Rossi said his guards probably improved as much as anyone on the team during the summer, and Helbig said the entire team has stepped up its game to make up for the loss of Giltner.

"Everyone's picked it up a notch, or even two notches," Helbig said. "Dori's playing great, and Alex Wilson is playing well. Everyone's doing their part."

If Holy Family is to repeat as champion this year, it will move Helbig and Talamantes one step closer to their ultimate goal -- to graduate as four-time state champions.

"We walk down the halls at school and the kids tell us, 'Oh, you're going to have four state rings by the time you're seniors,' Helbig said. " We tell them, 'We sure hope so.' "

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