By Austin Badzik (@austinbadzik15):
From shooting hoops in fourth grade recess to entering their first year of college hoops together, freshmen Danae Marquez and Megan Anderson are still teammates. The two look to shake up the Mountain West this year. The Spartans have the second youngest team in the nation and look to take this season by storm.
Marquez and Anderson have been in each other’s lives for as long as they can remember. The growth between the two is only going to benefit them on and off the court.
“We have been playing together since fourth grade, we both had aspirations to play at the college level.” Anderson said. “We both ended up getting an offer from here, Danae actually committed first, and then we both just fell in love with the school”.
The two have known each other since elementary school and haven’t looked back since. Its evident that playing at the division one level together is a dream come true for the both of them.
“If anything we have gotten closer through the years,” Marquez said. “We have also been pretty close but now I see her everyday.”
It’s clear the teammates are close and will do the everything they can to make an impact on this young roster. The two will use their special bond and years of experience of playing together to their advantage on the court.
Senior guard Myzhanique Ladd is the only returning starter for the Spartans this season as she plans to take on a mentor-like role in her final year. Ladd will be expected to use her in-game experience to influence a team that is young and going to need someone to turn too.
With a roster that consists of 80 percent underclassman, a lot of people are already writing them off this season.
“I hope we shock everyone that is counting us out, and hopefully being able to play older than we actually are,” Marquez said. “We are just looking to grow”.
The Spartans first game of the regular season tips off on Nov. 10 at UCLA, and the team’s home opener is Nov. 17.
With a young Spartans team that is loaded with talent, Marquez and Anderson look to add a spark on both sides of the ball, and utilize their familiarity and longtime basketball chemistry to the team’s advantage.
