Ace Wright spent the last two summers playing in the East Bay’s Women’s Professional Basketball Association.
Ace Wright has some big shoes to fill.
The new girls’ basketball coach at Miramonte follows in the footsteps of Vince Wirthman and Kelly Sopak, who between them combined coached 391 wins in 16 seasons. For those without ready access to calculators, that’s an average of just over 24 wins a season, a number that many long-time high school coaches haven’t reached even once.
Wright, though, is undaunted.
“Being with the program for the last four years,” she said, “I know the situation and what it will take to keep the program going.”
After three years as junior varsity coach, she spent last season as Wirthman’s varsity assistant, in part because the Matadors did not have a JV team last year. That could be an issue, as even though three starters return, usually graduation gaps are filled with players who’ve gained some experience at the junior varsity level.
But Wright can handle unusual transitions.
She grew up in the East Bay and was a star at Emery High School in Emeryville before moving on to Diablo Valley College for two years. From there, she made a big jump, moving to Billings, Montana, to play for Rocky Mountain College.
“I just took a risk,” she said, “and it was a culture shock. I’d never seen snow before. And I was the only African-American in a lot of settings.”
But Wright made the adjustment and enjoyed her two years in Billings, starting 23 games her senior year. When she returned to the Bay Area, she wanted to get involved in coaching, and found her way to Miramonte.
She immediately felt connected to the school and the basketball program, and now she’s in charge of one of the most consistently successful teams in the East Bay.
“I’m diving in head-first,” she said. “I’m not a last-minute person.” That preparation also includes getting her team ready to play a different style of basketball.
“Things will look different,” she said. “You can expect ball pressure and in-your-face defense.”
And if the past is any guide, you can expect plenty of wins as well.