Santa Fe Girls Basketball Ready For Improvements In Coach Williams’ Second Season

In Brandy Williams’ first season on the bench in Alachua, the Santa Fe High School girls’ basketball team managed a 7-11 record before its season came to an end in the second round of the 4A-District 5 tournament.

As she now sits on the precipice of the 2024-25 season, Williams has her sights set on a bigger prize for the Raiders.

“Our goal this season is obviously to win districts,” Williams said Friday night at the first North Central Florida High School Basketball Media Day. “We like to keep pushing forward and we’re going to reach for the stars.”

A key part to the progress that Williams wants to see is a massive return in production. With only two seniors on the roster last year, the Raiders bring back nearly 85% of their scoring from 2023-24.

“It’s amazing, because these girls have the confidence,” Williams said about bringing largely the same roster into this season. “Even from my freshman and sophomores last year to the two seniors I have this year, it’s the confidence and leadership I see from last season to this season.

“By them bringing that to the table and their skillset developing more from last year, I expect a great season.”

One of those returning seniors is point guard Natalie Chohan, who was second on the team in scoring last year. Chohan has had three coaches in her four years at Santa Fe, so she emphasized the importance of having some continuity with Williams.

“Last year was bumpy because we had just got a new coach and we were coming back from a lot of switching coaches,” Chohan said. “This year, I can tell all the girls are dedicated. Coach Williams has stepped in and been dominant toward us and given us the discipline and encouragement we need as a team, whereas last year we were still learning who she was.”

Part of that dominance was a grueling offseason conditioning program. The program is one Williams was positive about, but Chohan and teammate Haleigh Richburgh had some comedically mixed reactions.

“We’re training like the military out there,” Richburgh said. “But the offseason is supposed to be the hardest part. The games and in-season is supposed to be the easier part.”

Richburgh led the team in scoring as a sophomore last year, averaging 11.7 points per game. She is looking for a big junior season, emphasizing communication with her teammates as a major point of improvement.

To reach the goal of a district title, the Raiders will have to go through Crystal River, Dunnellon, Lake Weir, North Marion and defending district champion Eastside.

Santa Fe tips off its season Nov. 19 at Trenton.