State tourney a family affair for Bardens

By Katie Brown, Journal staff | Thursday, March 06, 2008

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Today, Cady and Carsey Barden will finally understand what their parents have been talking about for years.

The sisters from Whitewood grew up hearing their parents, Lane and Twyla Barden, tell stories about playing basketball for the Sturgis Scoopers at state tournaments in the 1980s.

"They've always told us stories about it," Carsey said. "Now, we can finally know what it's like."

Cady, 18, a senior, and Carsey, 16, a sophomore, helped the Scoopers to their first appearance in the state Class AA Girls Basketball Tournament since 2003. The Scoopers will take on Pierre at 7:45 p.m. today at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

"It's been a blast (watching them)," Twyla Barden said. "You've had that same experience, so you want the same things for them."

Twyla Barden, who teaches aquatics, swimming and lifesaving, aerobics, physical education and health at Sturgis Brown High School, was a senior for the Scoopers at the state tournament in the fall of 1984.

Lane Barden works for a cattle-feed company in Belle Fourche. He played on the state tournament team in the spring of 1984 as a junior.

Both of the 1984 Scoopers basketball teams took fourth place.

"I remember for the first time playing players who were taller than me," Twyla Barden said about the 1984 state tournament. "I remember we played Brookings on my 18th birthday, and they had a couple of 6-foot-2 players."

Twyla Barden said she believes she will be more nervous watching her daughters play at state than when she was a player.

"As a player, it seems like as soon as the national anthem is over, you settle down and play," she said. "It is so different sitting there. You don't settle down."

She said she was extremely nervous at last Saturday's game, when the Scoopers beat Huron 54-48 for the chance to go to state.

"I think I chewed every one of my fingernails off," she said.

Cady, a 5-foot-10 forward, said she started playing basketball when she was 6 or 7, and Carsey came along to games. It wasn't long before the little sister was playing, too.

"She just kind of jumped in," Cady said. "We used to play four or five sports, but basketball really became part of us."

Twyla Barden coached the girls' club teams when they were younger.

"Mom has always been there," Carsey said.

Carsey, the 5-foot-11 point guard, said her strong suit is handling the basketball and bringing it up the court.

"Cady hits shots and gets everybody fired up," Carsey said.

Twyla Barden said Cady and Carsey have different styles of playing, but they compliment one another.

Cady wants to understand the logic behind the game, her mother said. "She's kind of a student of the game," Twyla Barden said. "She wants to know what the coaches are doing and why."

Carsey is impulse-driven, according to her mother. "She's an aggressive player. The things she does on the court she does with her quickness, speed and quick thinking."

The Bardens are not the only duo of sisters playing for the Scoopers.

Senior Maija Gouldin and her sister Alyssa, a junior, play on the varsity team. Tylea Tierney is on the varsity team and her sister, Tessa, is on the sophomore team.

Cady said although she and her sister fight sometimes, they try to keep things professional on the basketball court.

Carsey agrees.

"When it comes to basketball, we don't really fight much," she said. "There's an occasional 'what were you thinking?' but we don't really fight."

Their little brother Kellen, 11, plays basketball, too.

"He's a monster," Carsey said of the 5-foot-5 fifth-grader.

Both Cady and Carsey hope to make basketball part of their future.

Cady plans to attend Black Hills State University this fall, majoring in teaching and coaching.

Carsey hopes to continue playing basketball in her junior and senior year of high school and would like to play college basketball.

Twyla and Lane Barden will be in the stands tonight watching their daughters experience the opportunity they had themselves not long ago.

"It's so much fun watching them grow up into really nice young ladies -- all of them, not just my own," Twyla Barden said.

If you go

What: State AA Girls Basketball Sturgis vs. Pierre

When: 7:45 p.m. today

Where: Rushmore Plaza Civic Center

Cost: $8 for adults, $5 for students

If you don't

The Class AA Girls Basketball games can be seen on South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Channel 5 for both Knology and MidContinent customers.

Title: 2008 Girls Class AA State Basketball Tournament Date: March 5th, 2008 Follow the 2008 South Dakota Class AA Girls Basketball Tournament at www.rapidcityjournal.com. VIEW PRESENTATION »

Contact Katie Brown at 394-8318 or katie.brown@rapidcityjournal.com