From UIC and SICL to the GTL

NORTH LIBERTY -- This isn't the Upper Iowa Conference any more. Not the South Iowa Cedar League."The girls are stronger. The pace is stronger," said Shantel Lehmann. "You have to be thinking and reacting all the time."Lehmann and Carolyn Holm are a pair of small-town girls mixing it up with the big-time players in the Game Time League this summer.Monday night, at the North Liberty Community Center, the future teammates and roommates at Kirkwood Community College were mixing it up between themselves.Lehmann, who led Valley Community to the Class 1A state tournament last year, won the individual battle decisively. But Holm, a graduate of Sigourney High School, got the victory -- Culver's of Coralville/Vinton Merchants defeated Coralville Hy-Vee, 62-55.Both were all-state posts at their respective schools. Both are in their first year in the GTL.It's an eye-opening experience."It has been a little hard to get used to it," Holm said. "The first game, that was a learning experience. You have to get used to the 30-second shot clock and the faster pace."But the competition is making me better. It's getting me ready for college."Lehmann was extremely impressive early, scoring 12 of her 14 points in the first half. She first time she touched the ball was on an offensive rebound, which she muscled back up for a basket.She followed with a 12-footer, then converted a hook shot.Another offensive rebound turned into two free throws, and she had eight points in the first 5:08."You just have to size up more against the bigger girls," she said.Lehmann made 6 of 12 field-goal attempts and was 2 for 5 from the line. She added seven rebounds.Holm was scoreless, trying four shots from the floor. She snagged seven boards.Most of the time, they guarded each other. Several encounters developed into scrums on the floor for possession.Holm had one key advantage: Iowa's Kachine Alexander as a teammate."I'm just getting to know her," Holm said. "She's very supportive of everybody, and she's feisty."The Game Time League concludes July 21. A few months later, Lehmann and Holm will be teammates -- most likely for two years -- with the ambition to extend Kirkwood's dynasty."Coach (Kim) Muhl has had a lot of success," Lehmann said. "I know we're going to learn and we're going to improve."