TORNADO COMING THROUGH—Hammond's Christy Pinestraw drives downcourt against Destrehan's Laci Dent (24) and Paige Rochelle (42) in the first half Wednesday night. Pinestraw had 19 points in the Lady Tors' 66-63 loss in the Hammond 5A Round-up. By Mike Kiral

Hammond's Lady Tors are set at two positions. It is the other positions that will be a work in progress during 2008-09.

Senior point guard Julia Jackson, the co-District 7-5A MVP last season, and senior forward and captain Christy Pinestraw return to lead the Lady Tors. But Hammond will also start a freshman, a sophomore and a junior who did not get to see much playing time a year ago.

"We have some pretty good seniors and we have good senior leadership," Hammond head coach Tommy Morrison said. "What we really have to work on is the younger players, the role players that play, who are going to have to learn on the run.

“Right now we're in a teaching mode and they are in a learning mode. We're trying to get better every ball game. We're learning you have to play hard for four quarters. You can't go in there and play one really good quarter and relax and that is taking some time."

The Lady Tors showed both their skill and youthfulness at their own Hammond 5A Round-up Wednesday night against Destrehan. Hammond led by two with 1:06 left before the Lady Cats rallied for a 66-63 victory.

"I told them in the lockerroom after the game that we played hard but it was just the little bitty fundamental things where we are making our mistakes," Morrison said. "Bad passes, not blocking people off the board. That's fundamental stuff. We have to relax when we get the ball and play with confidence. That is the one thing that we are lacking right now, confidence, but we are going to be all right."

Tawanna Lee had 25 points for Destrehan, including a layup to give the Lady Cats the lead with 39.1 seconds left and two free throws to make it 66-63 with 6.6 seconds left. Pinestraw's 3-pointer from the left wing fell short at the buzzer.

Pinestraw had 19 points for Hammond. Julia Jackson had 29 points, 20 in the first half as the Lady Tors took a 34-27 halftime lead.

The Lady Tors will play East St. John in the first game today at 4:30 before finishing up with St. Amant at 6 p.m. Friday. Morrison is hoping the good competition will prepare the Lady Tors for the rigors of 7-5A play. Hammond, which has already played in the Mandeville Tournament and hosted the Tornado Turkey Shoot, travels to Denham Springs Tuesday before opening district at Ponchatoula next Friday.

"We don't back down from any good competition," Morrison said. "The only way you're going to learn is by playing people better than you. I'm pleased with the effort so far. They are working real hard but it is a learning experience for everyone."

Besides Jackson and Pinestraw, Hammond will start Black, a sophomore, at guard, freshman Bridget Zahn at forward and Schnadelbach, a junior, at the post. Key reserves are sophomore Crystal Gonzales, junior Courtney Zahn and junior Kiera Johnson.

"The key for us is we have to develop an inside scoring game," Morrison said. "We're not quite as tall and we can't run as fast, with the exception of my guards, as we did last year. That is where we really are lacking, in our inside game. I think our outside game will be OK.

“Our problem right now is teams have been putting a lot of pressure on Julia and Christy and letting the other ones go. So the other ones are going to have to really learn how to carry the load."