Marlon Wells, coach of the Bishop's girls basketball team, a CIF power, said on the eve of his team's preseason scrimmage against La Jolla, "Good luck" to Madeleine Gates, the Vikings' center the past two seasons, when he was informed Gates will forgo basketball to concentrate on volleyball.
"She's a good volleyball player," Wells said. His team, led by sophomore Destiny Littleton, scrimmages La Jolla Wed., Nov. 26. The relationship between the two teams was forged by Wells and Dave Westhem, LJHS coach who stepped down after the season last winter. Wells had been unaware Gates was not going to play basketball this season. But he didn't sound totally surprised.
It was on the Bishop's campus Jan. 11 that the Lady Knights hosted La Jolla for the first time in memory. CIF Player of the Year Imani Littleton, who is now playing at St. John's University in New York, led Bishop's to a big non-league win that opened the eyes of the younger, less experienced Vikings. A featured match-up in the game was the fleet and high-flying Imani Littleton (no relation to Destiny), 6-foot-2, against the 6-2 Gates. While Imani was a senior, Madeleine was only a sophomore at the time. Imani was impressive, taking rebounds and dribbling the length of the court to score on leaping layups. But Gates held her own, having to clog the middle not only against Imani, but also Destiny and the other Lady Knights attacking the basket. Bishop's won by over 30 points.
Wells has developed a year-round AAU travel team that was invited to major national tournaments in the East last summer. At one point, he expressed an interest in having Gates play on his travel squad.
Copyright 2014 Ed Piper
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