CLEARWATER — On the basketball court, Savannah Plentovich knows where her identical twin, Carley, is at all times. Not only does she know where Carley is, she knows where she is going to be.
“(Carley) can be on the opposite side of the court and I know she’s going to be there when I pass it. I don’t even have to think about it,’’ Savannah said.
That’s the way it has always been for these basketball playing sisters. Born just one minute apart (Carley is the oldest), the Calvary Christian freshmen have grown up competing with, and against, each other. Ever since they can remember there have been epic one-on-one battles to see who gets the day’s bragging rights.
“We’re very competitive with each other,’’ Carley said. “We can get kind of rough with each other.’’
Those battles, along with years of playing AAU basketball with the Suncoast Basketball Club, has made their transition to high school a little easier. The Plentovich sisters have been a big addition for the Warriors (11-2).
Savannah, a 5-foot-7 smooth-shooting left-hander, leads the team with 14.8 points per game and 17 3-pointers. Carley, also 5-foot-7 (of course), is an equally smooth-shooting right-hander who averages 11.7 points.
Not that they are keeping track of each other’s point totals.
“We do keep track of that,’’ said Carley, laughing. “We always want to outdo each other. (Savannah) is a little bit better shooter. I like to drive more.’’
The sibling rivalry is Calvary Christian’s gain. The Warriors already had some size inside with 6-foot-2 senior center Rachel Mostert. And they have experienced starters Caroline Andreassen and Kasey Howard.
The addition of two ball-handling guards who can shoot and play tenacious defense makes the Warriors a team to watch in Class 3A, District 9. It also made coach Brooke Sibert very happy on the first day of tryouts.
“I was excited,’’ Sibert said with a smile. “They really are all-around great girls. They are quiet, good kids who are team players. They don’t complain about anything.
“They are both all-around basketball players. They can hit the 3s or drive to the basket, and they play awesome defense.’’
Opponents have had a hard time keeping up with the Plentoviches. And they have a hard time telling them apart. Savannah said Carley’s face is a little rounder. Carley said her hair is also a little shorter.
The fact they have made an immediate impact is not surprising to Sibert — or the twins.
“I think it’s been pretty easy,’’ Savannah said of the transition to high school. “We’ve been playing AAU almost all of our lives. It’s not really different from AAU.
“Except the girls are taller,’’ Carley added.
With St. Petersburg Catholic and Indian Rocks Christian down a bit this season, the Warriors have a good chance of winning a district championship. And if the Plentovich twins remain four years, the future looks bright for the Warriors.
“I like this team,’’ Carley said. “We push the ball a lot, which we like. I think we’ll go far this year.’’
Rodney Page can be reached at page@tampabay.com or on Twitter @RodneyHomeTeam.