Hialeah coach Denoff Johnson hasn't had to raise his voice much during his girls' basketball team's practice lately.

''I used to have to yell all day sometimes to get a drill run the right way,'' Johnson said. ``There are days I come out here and it's like practice is on auto-pilot. The girls are showing a focus and an attention to every little detail they haven't had before.''

After advancing to state for the first time, Hialeah suffered a heartbreaking loss to Orlando Freedom in last year's Class 6A state semifinal.

The Thoroughbreds are determined to get back to Lakeland, but they don't want a repeat of last season.

And with three starters and the majority of its reserves back from last year's team, things look promising.

''The girls have a veteran swagger about them that I didn't see last season as much because we were still young,'' Johnson said. ``When we played our preseason classic last week, they fell behind a couple of times, but we didn't crack under pressure.''

Senior guard Ty'tetania McClenney, The Miami Herald's Class 6A Player of the Year, is the veteran on a team still comprised mostly of underclassmen. She averaged 14.6 points and 4.8 steals per game last year. Johnson said McClenney, 5-9, has become a better defender.

''That's something we stressed with her all summer and fall,'' Johnson said. ``We know she's a dynamic scorer, but if we're to win a state championship, she needs to become just as good a defender.''

The road to state will be full of familiar foes.

Norland lost its most prolific scorer in South Alabama signee Vontrice Dennis, but returns its ''twin towers,'' in seniors Leeza Burdgess (6-4) and Tamika Guz (6-3), and is strong enough to make a return trip to state after a one-year absence. The two recently signed letters of intent. Burdgess signed with Pittsburgh, while Guz signed with Long Island.

Norland coach Carla Harris-Curry expects a more experienced group of guards, led by Jasmine Hicks and Cleandra Roberts to give them the complement they were missing last season.

'We don't have one `go-to' player like we've had the past couple of years,'' Harris-Curry said. ``Sometimes that can be a good thing because the girls won't rely on one player to make plays.''

Lourdes, a regional finalist last year, returns one of the best guards in the county. Junior Takia Brooks, 5-7, averaged 15.4 points per game last season and hopes to lead the Bobcats to state for the first time since 1998.

Miami High, which the last public school Dade team to win a state championship, has one of its best squads in four seasons. Senior guard Aliesh Roman leads a dynamic backcourt that could propel the Stingarees back to the playoffs.

Johnson hopes his team's depth will give them the edge.

Junior Chandler Merkerson, 6-0, will play point guard and is regarded as one of the best in the county at her position. Johnson is expecting a big season from 6-2 center Tashavia Hagans and 5-11 forward Shikina McMillan.

Hialeah's best returning post player figures to be 5-11 junior Jasmine Wilkins, who played volleyball in the fall.

''I think the big stage made the moment bigger than the game at state last year,'' Johnson said. ``We're playing a tougher schedule, and now the girls know what to expect.''

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