Brevard Flame Aims To Explode In 2012 Basketball Season
By Ed Pierce // April 19, 2012
Women's Basketball
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Heading into a third season of competition in the U.S. Women’s Blue Chip Basketball League, the Brevard Flame are looking to step up in 2012 and join the top tier of teams in the state.
After playing only a handful of games in 2010, the Flame showed moments of brilliance last year before falling in the Suncoast Conference regional playoffs to the national finals runnerup, the Orlando Extreme.
“Last season was another learning experience for Brevard Flame,” said Flame coach Reuben Williams. “2011 was the first full season for the Flame and it was filled with challenges.”
Williams said he expects experience to give the Flame a boost this year after the squad finished 2011 with a record of 2-8.
“I expect marked improvement this season. We will have a good core of players returning and with the full season of experience, players have a good outlook for the future of Brevard Flame,” he said.
Using a lineup of local players with college basketball experience, the Flame shot only 33 percent from the field in 2011 and averaged just 61 points per game.
Returning for another year is last season’s top scorer for the Flame, former Melbourne Central Catholic and Florida Tech guard Lynisha Nelson, who recorded 14.3 points per game for Brevard last season.
Nelson also averaged five assists, four steals and 5.2 rebounds per game in 2011.
Also back is former Florida Tech standout Roselyn Burnett who was the Flame’s top rebounder in 2011, averaging 10.7 boards per contest and 13.4 points per game.
Williams will also rely on contributions from Indian River State College’s Latoya Anderson (7.7 points, 1.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 3.5 rebounds per game) and former Florida Tech and Satellite High School star Amanda Deveaux (7.3 points, 1.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 3.8 rebounds per game).
One big change for the team in 2012 is a new location for home games.
The Flame will now suit up at home at Melbourne Central Catholic High School, instead of at then Grant Street Community Center in Melbourne.
The new schedule tips off May 12 with Brevard on the road facing Palm Beach.
“Our goal this season is to make a push for the WBCBL National Tournament,” Williams said.
The Women’s Blue-Chip Basketball League is a semi-professional league for women basketball players with college basketball experience.
Its mission is to prepare prospective professional players for higher-level play with the goal of providing talent for the Womens National Basketball Association, the National Womens Basketball League and numerous professional teams in Europe.
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Brevard Flame 2012 Schedule
May 12 Brevard Flame @ Palm Beach
May 19 Brevard Flame hosts Fort Lauderdale
June 2 Brevard Flame @ Miami
June 9 Brevard Flame hosts Tampa
June 16 Brevard Flame @ Fort Lauderdale
June 23 Brevard Flame hosts Miami
July 7 Brevard Flame hosts Jacksonville
July 14 Brevard Flame @ Orlando
July 21 Brevard Flame hosts Palm Beach
