It's hard to imagine that Italee Lucas could be dissatisfied with her game.
The 5-foot-9-inch Centennial High School guard averaged 25 points as a junior last season, won every honor imaginable, and then signed to play at perennial NCAA power North Carolina beginning next year.
But something was missing.
In the end, the Bulldogs failed to win their fifth consecutive state title.
"Last year hurt," said the standout senior, who led her team to a 26-4 season. "I don't want to feel that again."
That's where Karen Weitz comes in.
Weitz, the highly respected coach who built Centennial's powerful program, left in 2005 to serve a year at Division I University of Pacific in California.
She said she spent much of that year missing prep basketball, Lucas in particular.
"(Lucas) was an important part of my decision (to return)," said Weitz, who complied a 188-11 record in six seasons at Centennial. "But I wasn't really gone that long. When you build and establish a program like we had, you still have a good base."
Indeed, the Bulldogs intend to chase another championship. But Weitz said major changes will be necessary, noting that the team became too dependent on Lucas during her absence.
"There is no championship that's going to be won with just Italee," the coach said. "If we're going to do this, it's got to be done with (the entire team). In life, you get what you deserve. If you work hard and commit yourself to something, it's more likely that good things will happen."
Lucas refused to blame her teammates for last season's shortcomings, noting that she contributed to the team's problems.
"I think the coaches last year let me slack," she said. "But now (Weitz) is always on me."
Lucas said she hopes Weitz's exhausting workouts will help expand her game.
"I want to work on the little things," she said. "I really want to work more on leadership."
That's just what Weitz wants to hear.
"Italee wants to play with a team," the coach said. "She doesn't want everybody to depend on her. We're still working on that, but we have a good, solid base. We just need to improve quickly."
The Bulldogs still have plenty of work to do. They dropped a 67-66 decision to state title contender Galena earlier this month, and Lucas had to score 39 points to keep it close.
But Centennial fans have little to worry about as Weitz knows how to get the most from her players.
"If you're going to go out there, give it your all," she said. "That's how I am as a coach and as a person."
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