Basketball Preview: Hillsboro Lady Indians - SCOL
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
Everything is starting to add up for the Hillsboro Lady Indians' basketball program. They are entering their third season under head coach JR Moberly and have a core of players from all grades who want to continue the improvement and turn that into wins on the court this season.
For the Lady Indians this season, many of the players on the squad got used to a winning feeling on the soccer field as some of the girls were on the regional semifinal squad in the fall. Now, those girls want to transition that momentum to the court of HHS as they embark on an important season in their rebuilding of the basketball program.
"So far, the girls have been playing really hard. Our defensive effort has improved, and we are getting better at the little things," Moberly said. "We'll have to do the little things really well to be competitive, and we'll have to play hard.
"We seem to be moving in the right direction."
The foundation was set the past two seasons for HHS, as they finished 4-17 each of the past two years.
Players this year will have to fill the roles that were left empty due to the graduation of last year's seniors, including Danielle Gillman, Whitney Earley and Carey Juillerat.
"Our primary goal last year was to get as many kids as possible as much experience as possible," Moberly said. "We knew we were going to be young at the varsity level, and we were even young at the JV level. We tried to get kids to gain experience for this year and with this year in mind."
This season, seniors will include Taylor Stanforth, Alex Stratton and Taylor Moberly as Moberly enters her third season at the varsity level, taking over full-time at point guard.
"All three seniors are great kids and are involved in so many things athletically and academically," Moberly said. "That's true of a lot of our kids, but these three girls lead off the court as well. They are good examples for our younger kids and are our captains. The kids on the team made that choice."
One thing HHS must fix to have success in the win column this season is more scoring, as they had no players average double figures in scoring, along with their defensive play from the entire game.
"Our defensive intensity and execution of basic fundamentals on defense must improve," Moberly said. "You can tell our young kids have the experience. There is a big difference from the start of last year to the start of this year with those kids.
"We still have a ways to go, obviously, but they are playing with more confidence and a lot less fear."[[In-content Ad]]The leading scorer for the Lady Indians last season was Kaylynn Bell, now a sophomore, with 9.8 ppg and 205 points total on the season. She also made 69 field goals, 11 3-pointers and 44 free throws for 61 percent from the free-throw line. Defensively, Bell collected 102 rebounds, 12 blocked shots and 28 steals, along with 48 assists.
The second leading scorer from one year ago also returns in Trista Rhodes as the sophomore scored 155 points (7.4 ppg) with a team-high 48 steals. Rhodes also had 21 assists, 35 converted free throws and 39 rebounds.
Also on the varsity team this year will be juniors Mariah Burns, Maranda Burns and Britney Bowen; sophomores Alyssa Sullivan, Hannah Kibler and Kirsten Juillerat; and freshmen Faith Middleton and Madison Snyder.
Kibler returns as she totaled 107 rebounds and 79 points last year. She also had 20 steals.
"We need the girls who are returning to step up their game and bring more to the table," Moberly said. "They are going to have to be leaders on the court, in the locker room and show all the new kids what high school basketball, varsity basketball in particular, is all about.
"We have a lot of kids who do a couple things well, so we have a lot of room to improve in those areas. We're still learning to play as a team with getting kids in late due to the soccer season going to regionals. We're still trying to make up for some lost ground. Hopefully the experience of winning those games will carry over to basketball."
This year, with all the experience under their belts, Moberly wants his teams to compete at a higher level and to be in games.
"I expect for us to be in games this year," he said. "A lot of close games … I think we are to a point where we can go out and compete on most nights, and I expect for us to continue to improve.
"If we can continue to improve and play hard, we can make things a lot more interesting for teams this year."
For the Lady Indians this season, many of the players on the squad got used to a winning feeling on the soccer field as some of the girls were on the regional semifinal squad in the fall. Now, those girls want to transition that momentum to the court of HHS as they embark on an important season in their rebuilding of the basketball program.
"So far, the girls have been playing really hard. Our defensive effort has improved, and we are getting better at the little things," Moberly said. "We'll have to do the little things really well to be competitive, and we'll have to play hard.
"We seem to be moving in the right direction."
The foundation was set the past two seasons for HHS, as they finished 4-17 each of the past two years.
Players this year will have to fill the roles that were left empty due to the graduation of last year's seniors, including Danielle Gillman, Whitney Earley and Carey Juillerat.
"Our primary goal last year was to get as many kids as possible as much experience as possible," Moberly said. "We knew we were going to be young at the varsity level, and we were even young at the JV level. We tried to get kids to gain experience for this year and with this year in mind."
This season, seniors will include Taylor Stanforth, Alex Stratton and Taylor Moberly as Moberly enters her third season at the varsity level, taking over full-time at point guard.
"All three seniors are great kids and are involved in so many things athletically and academically," Moberly said. "That's true of a lot of our kids, but these three girls lead off the court as well. They are good examples for our younger kids and are our captains. The kids on the team made that choice."
One thing HHS must fix to have success in the win column this season is more scoring, as they had no players average double figures in scoring, along with their defensive play from the entire game.
"Our defensive intensity and execution of basic fundamentals on defense must improve," Moberly said. "You can tell our young kids have the experience. There is a big difference from the start of last year to the start of this year with those kids.
"We still have a ways to go, obviously, but they are playing with more confidence and a lot less fear."[[In-content Ad]]The leading scorer for the Lady Indians last season was Kaylynn Bell, now a sophomore, with 9.8 ppg and 205 points total on the season. She also made 69 field goals, 11 3-pointers and 44 free throws for 61 percent from the free-throw line. Defensively, Bell collected 102 rebounds, 12 blocked shots and 28 steals, along with 48 assists.
The second leading scorer from one year ago also returns in Trista Rhodes as the sophomore scored 155 points (7.4 ppg) with a team-high 48 steals. Rhodes also had 21 assists, 35 converted free throws and 39 rebounds.
Also on the varsity team this year will be juniors Mariah Burns, Maranda Burns and Britney Bowen; sophomores Alyssa Sullivan, Hannah Kibler and Kirsten Juillerat; and freshmen Faith Middleton and Madison Snyder.
Kibler returns as she totaled 107 rebounds and 79 points last year. She also had 20 steals.
"We need the girls who are returning to step up their game and bring more to the table," Moberly said. "They are going to have to be leaders on the court, in the locker room and show all the new kids what high school basketball, varsity basketball in particular, is all about.
"We have a lot of kids who do a couple things well, so we have a lot of room to improve in those areas. We're still learning to play as a team with getting kids in late due to the soccer season going to regionals. We're still trying to make up for some lost ground. Hopefully the experience of winning those games will carry over to basketball."
This year, with all the experience under their belts, Moberly wants his teams to compete at a higher level and to be in games.
"I expect for us to be in games this year," he said. "A lot of close games … I think we are to a point where we can go out and compete on most nights, and I expect for us to continue to improve.
"If we can continue to improve and play hard, we can make things a lot more interesting for teams this year."