Sparkling Crystal

The Prep Charter Lady Huskies are about to play their third game in three days, and the fatigue is showing on the players’ faces. But when a Public League Silver Division title is on the line, there’s no time to rest.

Junior forward Crystal Enoch isn’t exactly all smiles as she does two warm-up laps around the Christian Street Y court at her coach’s request. But did she really do the two laps?

"I did four laps," Enoch insists following last week’s 46-17 win over Ben Franklin.

If the North Philly resident did want to take a breather, it would have been well deserved. The forward scored 34 points in last Tuesday’s win over Dobbins and 28 in last Monday’s win over Fels.

Enoch, who transferred from Strawberry Mansion, is a big reason the Lady Huskies — in just their second year of Public League competition — are 7-2.

The junior is averaging 23 points per game and drawing a wide range of college interest. Head coach Linda Page has fittingly nicknamed the offensive leader "Magic."

"I don’t know where we would be without her contributions," the coach said. "We [were] tied for first because of her impact."

The Lady Huskies’ first-place lock with Bodine was broken Friday when Prep Charter lost 58-48 to Northeast. Bodine, who defeated Prep earlier this season, clinched the Silver Division crown with a win over Dobbins. Enoch led all scorers with 22 points in Friday’s loss.

Academics attracted Enoch to Prep Charter last March. She arrived with basketball credentials — Strawberry Mansion finished second in the Gold Division behind Central High last year. Enoch’s goal is to help the Lady Huskies — who moved up from the Bronze Division — deflect the competition in the playoffs.

The athlete has a talented supporting cast that includes junior point guard Ashley Pearsall and junior center Sabriya McDuffie, who is averaging 13 points and eight rebounds a game.

Enoch noted the squad still has one area that requires improvement.

"The offense is there, but our defense is not there," she said. "Our defense needs to step up. We need to get more steals."

Enoch also is finding more challenges in the academic standards at the school.

"I got all A’s and B’s until I came to Prep Charter," she said. "The work got harder."

And that’s not even the worst of it.

"We work from the beginning of the period to the end of the period," the athlete said. "I am like any normal student — I don’t like work."

Enoch does enjoy fulfilling the community-service portion of her course load. She volunteers at the daycare at Samuel Fels South Philadelphia Community Center, 2407 S. Broad St. The student feeds and plays with the youngsters, and even offers basketball pointers to one boy.

Enoch will attempt to follow her own advice in the playoffs, which begin next week.

Page, who is in her first season as Prep Charter’s head coach, is making sure her girls maintain their focus. They nearly gave into fatigue during last week’s game against winless Ben Franklin — their third contest in three days.

"Look at the game and see what you need to change," Page told her players during a first-quarter timeout. "I want you to take that energy back out on the court with you."

The team was up 11-4 after one quarter, but it was still closer than it should have been because of the Lady Huskies’ lagging play. Once in the playoffs as one of five Silver Division teams to make the cut, Prep Charter won’t be able to afford mental mistakes.

Enoch believes the Lady Huskies should be able to clinch a championship.

"We are going to go all the way as long as we step up on defense," said the player, who is getting used to being called "Magic."

The coach shares her confidence.

"If everybody is clicking on the same night, we can compete with anybody," Page said.

Enoch knows her on-court performance is crucial as she strives toward a bigger goal of playing Division I basketball at Duke University. She said she would like to pursue a career in the legal or medical field.

"I like being surrounded by good people," said Enoch.

Just like she is at Prep Charter.