Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Friday, November 16, 2012
| 2012-13 PREP BASKETBALL PREVIEW
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8GIRLS SCOUTING REPORTS GENEVA VIKINGS About coach Sarah Meadows: It’s her second season as head coach and 11th overall at Geneva. Last season’s record: 24-6 overall, 12-0 UEC River. Lost, 54-37, to Wheaton Warrenville South in 4A Hoffman Estates Sectional semifinal. Returning starters: Michaela Loebel, Jr., G; Sami Pawlak, Sr., F/C; Morgan Seberger, Jr., G Insider information: Junior post Sidney Santos tore her right ACL in each of the past two preseasons. Meadows said the sister of former Vikings standout Ashley, now at Marquette, has shown a full range of motion and “looks very strong.” ... Pawlak, a NebraskaOmaha recruit, said she’s impressed with the way the newcomers have played early. ... The 6-1 Santos will be joined as a new starter by either senior Kelly Gordon or sophomore Abby Novak, a late-season call-up last season. Meadows favors Gordon in the sixth-man role, but still is playing with combinations. “KG is so unselfish that she’ll do really whatever we ask her to do,” Meadows said. ... Of Loebel and Seberger, Meadows said: “We’re going to ask them to do more than they even did as sophomores, especially handling the ball. Hopefully that’ll be a little easier with the varsity experience they have under their belts.” ... Senior guard Ellen Dwyer (shin injury) was limited last year and should contend for big minutes off the bench. ... Juniors
KANELAND KNIGHTS About coach Ernie Colombe: It’s his seventh season at Kaneland. Last season’s record: 20-10 overall, 7-3 Northern Illinois Big 12 East. Lost, 43-31, to Belividere North in Class 3A Sycamore Sectional final. Returning starters: Emma Bradford, Sr., F; Allyson O’Herron, Sr., G; Ashley Prost, Sr., F Insider information: Much of last season’s core returns, and that comfort has eased the transition into early practices. “There’s a fine line there where sometimes you can have too much fun, but this group doesn’t really have a problem with that,” Colombe said. ... Prost (10.3 ppg) was the lone Knight to average double-figure scoring last season, and the team will favor that balanced approach again. Colombe said the team has “eight or 10 kids that could start right now.” ... Senior forward Brooke Harner, a top reserve last season, made sizable offseason strides in her game. ... Varsity newcomers Ally VanBogaert (sophomore) and Kelly Wallner (junior) both are 5-11 and the team’s tallest players. ... Bradford excels at getting to the free-throw line but also honed her outside game during the offseason. The Knights hope to improve on their 26.9 percent three-point shooting of 2011-12, with O’Herron serving as the top perimeter threat. Burning question: Going 8-10 deep is a promising proposition, but who will be the go-to player when the Knights absolutely need one? The bottom line: Dethroning DeKalb in the Northern Illinois Big 12 will be a tough order, but the Knights’ depth, if harnessed, gives them a chance against the Barbs and the rest of the league.
Kane County Chronicle file photo
Geneva’s Morgan Seberger holds onto the ball during a game against Morgan Park in the 24th Annual Geneva High School Girls Varsity Basketball Tournament last season.
Madeline Dunn and Anna Finch project as strong reinforcements for a post-oriented group. Burning question: Can the Vikings reap the benefits of a full season with Santos, who has flashed a strong outside shot in addition to her post-up skills?
ROSARY ROYALS About coach Jessie Wilcox: A former Northern Illinois player, Wilcox is in her first season at Rosary after serving as assistant basketball coach and head women’s golf coach at Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Last season’s record: 9-18 overall, 3-7 SCC Blue. Lost, to Yorkville, 51-33, in 3A Yorkville Regional semifinal. Returning starters: Madison Richmond, Sr., G; Karly Tate, Sr., F Insider information: Richmond, always a favorite of veteran former coach Dave Beebe, whose contract was not renewed, returns in full health after tearing an ACL last December. ... Wilcox touts the Royals’ speed above all. Sophomore guard Quincy Kellett, a girls soccer standout, is part of that equation. “We have a pretty short team, but we’re very, very quick and athletic,” Wilcox said. “When we can get away with having shorter lineup, we definitely will.” ... Tate missed several earlyseason games after having her appendix removed last season before developing as a dependable inside threat. ... Sophomore forward Adrienne Winkel was an emerging hitter for the volleyball team during the fall. ... Wilcox favors a quick-tempo game on both sides of the floor, and has installed multiple presses and half-court defenses. ... First-year assistant Don Rasich comes from traditional 1A state power Hinckley-Big Rock. Burning question: Consistency has been an issue for the Royals in recent seasons. How can they buck the trend under Wilcox? Bottom line: If seniors Richmond, Tate, Mary Wentworth, Amy Serephin and Maddie Hemmerich can keep the underclassmen moving forward, Rosary has the ability to make a run at .500.
The bottom line: While another perfect run through the UEC River may not be a formality, the Vikings return enough talent to reign atop their league again. A daunting non-conference slate sets the team up for another shot at a lengthy postseason run.
ST. CHARLES EAST SAINTS About coach Lori Drumtra: Drumtra enters her eighth season at East. Last season’s record: 14-14 overall, 7-5 UEC River. Lost, 51-45, to Schaumburg in Class 4A Bartlett Regional semifinal. Returning starters: Amanda Hilton, Jr., G; Paige Jordan, Sr., G; Kyra Washington, So., F/G Insider information: Jordan, a three-year varsity player, headlines East’s haul of eight seniors, but the group also includes on-the-verge talents such as guard Carly Pottle and combos Laney Deckrow and Anna Bartels; all three are battling for starting spots. ... Drumtra compares Hilton’s poise to those of her seniors; it’s her third season with the varsity. ... Jordan Shead, a 6-1 center, elected to focus on track, opening an opportunity for juniors Hannah Noling and Keyana Williams in the paint. ... Outside of the 6-1 Washington – East’s returning leading rebounder – Drumtra said the Saints don’t boast particular size. She hopes outside depth can fill the void. “There’s a lot of people I feel very confident in having on the floor on our perimeter,” Drumtra said. ... Drumtra on climbing the UEC River standings: “There were a lot of teams we split with. We’d beat them handily and then the second time we’d lose. We just want to be a lot more consistent.” Burning question: Who will complement Washington under the boards and bring the most rebounding potential? The bottom line: Drumtra senses a closing gap in the UEC River, and, with a wealth of experience, thinks the Saints can give Geneva a run. If the less seasoned among a deep senior core pick things up quickly, expect East to play well above .500.