Girls Basketball: Rosemont Has New Coach, Winning Attitude

The girls basketball team finished 8-16 last year under then-coach Brad Harper. Fast forward to this season and new coach Mike House has led the Wolverines to a 7-6 record so far despite three losses to start Metropolitan Conference play.

"It's a building year for the team," House said. "There are girls with good basketball talent but their knowledge of the game needs to get better."

Among the team leaders is junior center Nitteayah Barfield.

"Our team is doing well and the new players are coming together," Barfield said. "Having a new coach is different but he's great and he has faith that we can reach the top and get into the playoffs."

Already the team has won the Cordova Tournament though league play will test Rosemont, as they . Other top league foes are No. 5 Florin, No. 10 Kennedy and No. 17 Valley, while Johnson has scored just two and three points total in each of their past two games.

"Our league is tough but I think we can compete," said senior point guard , who is also a standout on the team.

House credits Barfield with leading the girls basketball team into battle every night.

"I've been impressed with Nitteayah," he said. "She's a very good rebounder and brings leadership and experience."

Barfield gave credit to senior for getting the Wolverines going.

"Bri makes the team go," she said. "She's our leader when it's tense on the court."

Rosemont athletic director Bill Kapp declined to comment on why Harper is no longer with the team but said House was the strongest candidate to take over.

"Coach House has displayed strong evidence of high character, morals and committment that he promised to bring into the our girls basketball program," Kapp said. "He's done a great job of getting his players to buy into his program whether they are on the JV or varsity. I'm extremely proud of the job he and his JV coach Harold Owens have done in such a short time."

House said he hopes to keep the winning attitude going at Rosemont.

"Once you start winning, it becomes contagious," he said. "So far, we've got good team chemistry; it's a slow process to get better on the court but it's coming."

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