It’s easy to tell that Sabra Wrice ’08 and Baendu Lowenthal ’09 are close friends just by watching them interact. Sitting up on a stage giving a press conference, they give each other furtive glances and giggle over the questions and each other’s answers.
To See Wrice’s Official Stag Profile, Click Here
To See Lowenthal’s, Click Here
Their close relationship has been a key reason for the women’s basketball team’s success the past few seasons and especially this year’s 17-7 overall, 7-6 MAAC record.
“It’s really no secret around the league that they are our one-two punch,” said Head Coach Joe Frager.
Wrice is averaging 16.9 points per game, leading Fairfield, while Lowenthal is second, averaging 14.3 points per game.
Success is nothing new for these old friends. Wrice and Lowenthal have joined forces on the court since middle school, when their friendship grew as a result of being neighbors as well.
“Baendu’s mother and I grew up together,” said Terri Wrice, Sabra’s mother. “When they moved back to Riverside, it just seemed like a natural thing. We lived next door to each other, and our children liked the same things. So, we went from her mother and I being friends to the families being friends.”
The children from both families became close companions, and Sabra and Baendu’s relationship grew.
“Everybody always used to come over and hang, out so we just called ourselves the Progress Street Crew,” said Lowenthal. “We had a little basketball court, and we drew everybody’s names on there; it was silly.”
The families were soon inseparable.
“Baendu and Sabra were together every day,” said Kahleelah Lowenthal, Baendu’s mother. “Their day started by calling each other to make sure they were up for the day. They spent most of their time in school together, except for classes. It got to the point where Baendu was over Sabra’s house so often that she was asked not to knock on the door, to just come in.”
“Along with Baendu’s and Sabra’s siblings, they named themselves the Progress Street Crew,” said Kahleelah Lowenthal. “They hung out, made homemade videos, played video games, played sports and helped perform those dreaded chores together.”
Both players experienced stellar high school careers, with Wrice scoring 2,014 points and Lowenthal scoring 1,680 points at Riverside.
“They were so focused in Sabra’s senior year,” said Tobin Wrice, Sabra’s father. “They worked out every day before the season; they made their own workout schedule and stuck to it. They were determined to win. They would, at times, dress with the same colors on not knowing it until they saw each other.”
“Mrs. Wrice and I were always excited about watching our daughters play basketball together,” said Kahleelah Lowenthal. “They were so in tune with each other that they always knew where they were positioned on the court. This connection led their high school basketball team to the State Championships.”
That connection has again benefitted them in college, although the decision to attend Fairfield was reached separately by both.
“I didn’t want to pressure her,” said Wrice. “Four years is a long decision, and I didn’t want her to have any regrets about college. I told her about my experience here freshman year, and I left it to her to make a decision. Whatever choice she made, I would have been happy for her. I wanted it to be her decision, not mine.”
“The more you’re with somebody and the more you play with somebody, you know where they’re going to be and you know what they are going to do,” said Lowenthal. “It’s just this connection that we have from playing so long.”
This season, they have had to face the team’s best defenders, often while being double-teamed.
“I think the fact that, in spite of all that [the extra pressure], they are still able to put up very good numbers, that says a lot about how competitive they are,” said Frager. “I think the fact that they played together previously in high school [is] a real edge. “Anytime you’ve got that familiarity with playing together, that’s going to carry over.”
To See the Official Stags Women’s Basketball Site, Click Here
Check out how the Stags are looking against the rest of the MAAC (Team Conference Standings Overall Standings)
Marist 13-0 23-2 Iona 9-4 15-9 St. Peter’s 8-5 16-8 Manhattan 8-5 13-11 Fairfield 7-6 17-7 Loyola (MD) 5-8 10-13 Canisius 5-8 10-14 Siena 5-8 9-14 Niagara 3-10 5-19 Rider 2-11 7-17
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