Team Preview: Whiteoak Lady Wildcats
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The Whiteoak Lady Wildcats have grown tired of the recent trend of their basketball program, so head coach Mike Cooper and his players decided to do something about it this past offseason.
This year, the culture of their program has changed, and it is a welcome change for not only the coach, but the players as well.
"Since the end of last season, we've had a group of girls who have decided they want a better program," Cooper said. "Two days after we lost in the tournament, we had girls running on their own, staying after school for individual workouts. They were going home and playing basketball, and that's just a change in culture.
"They've improved fundamentally, and now it is just a matter of putting it all together as a team and seeing what it brings this year."
Seniors this season are Brittany Luman, Morgan Campbell and Amber Gorman, who have a lot of combined experience at the varsity level, as the Lady 'Cats are coming off a 3-20 overall season, including a postseason sectional victory.
"Morgan works very hard in the gym," Cooper said. "She's worked on her game defensively. Amber has worked hard the past two years, and she's improved her game.
"Brittany can run the point and will see some time there."
Also back is third-team Associated Press Division IV All-District sophomore Emma Wardlow. Wardlow averaged 13.3 points per game last year, scoring 305 points her freshman season. She was also All-SHAC last season.
"She's by far the hardest worker I have in practice," Cooper said. "She leads by example."
Also on the team are freshmen Maggie Carr, McKayla Luman, Jaycie Parr and Emily Edingfield; sophomore Ashleigh Harless; and juniors Sunnie Lehr, Emily Stratton, Jayde Parr and Courtney Cummings.[[In-content Ad]]
"Maggie will run the point for us, and we know we'll have some growing pains at first, but we'll see what happens," Cooper said. "Sunnie has really worked on her own to improve her skills, and defensively, she can guard anybody.
"Courtney, I have to find her minutes, because she's worked hard on her game and has earned it. Jayde played a lot of JV last year, but she can shoot the outside shot."
WHS, who were 1-12 in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference last season, want to continue to build back a program that has seen better days.
"I want the girls to continue to get better and to trust their teammates," Cooper said. "My hope is the five on the floor play as one.
"I don't consider us a veteran team, but we have experience. We have some young talent, and it is a nice mix, but again, it is just a matter of bringing them all together."
Having the mix of players that includes the experience of some playing varsity since their freshman seasons and ones who are still younger in the program, Cooper said having the varying of players is "different."
"We have kids who have battled with you for three or four years, and we have kids who are coming in who have to blend in, and the same with the older kids," Cooper said. "As a coach, it is fun, because every day of practice is an adventure."
With the experience gained from last season, Cooper said one noticeable difference is he doesn't see a sense of panic anymore.
"Last year, I thought we panicked a lot," he said. "We turned over the ball over too much, but I don't see the panic as much. We are still going to have turnovers, but so far, if we get down two or four points, we come back and look to make a stop.
"Then we go back … I don't see the kids relying on just one player to score, and as a coach, that is good to see."
This year, the culture of their program has changed, and it is a welcome change for not only the coach, but the players as well.
"Since the end of last season, we've had a group of girls who have decided they want a better program," Cooper said. "Two days after we lost in the tournament, we had girls running on their own, staying after school for individual workouts. They were going home and playing basketball, and that's just a change in culture.
"They've improved fundamentally, and now it is just a matter of putting it all together as a team and seeing what it brings this year."
Seniors this season are Brittany Luman, Morgan Campbell and Amber Gorman, who have a lot of combined experience at the varsity level, as the Lady 'Cats are coming off a 3-20 overall season, including a postseason sectional victory.
"Morgan works very hard in the gym," Cooper said. "She's worked on her game defensively. Amber has worked hard the past two years, and she's improved her game.
"Brittany can run the point and will see some time there."
Also back is third-team Associated Press Division IV All-District sophomore Emma Wardlow. Wardlow averaged 13.3 points per game last year, scoring 305 points her freshman season. She was also All-SHAC last season.
"She's by far the hardest worker I have in practice," Cooper said. "She leads by example."
Also on the team are freshmen Maggie Carr, McKayla Luman, Jaycie Parr and Emily Edingfield; sophomore Ashleigh Harless; and juniors Sunnie Lehr, Emily Stratton, Jayde Parr and Courtney Cummings.[[In-content Ad]]
"Maggie will run the point for us, and we know we'll have some growing pains at first, but we'll see what happens," Cooper said. "Sunnie has really worked on her own to improve her skills, and defensively, she can guard anybody.
"Courtney, I have to find her minutes, because she's worked hard on her game and has earned it. Jayde played a lot of JV last year, but she can shoot the outside shot."
WHS, who were 1-12 in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference last season, want to continue to build back a program that has seen better days.
"I want the girls to continue to get better and to trust their teammates," Cooper said. "My hope is the five on the floor play as one.
"I don't consider us a veteran team, but we have experience. We have some young talent, and it is a nice mix, but again, it is just a matter of bringing them all together."
Having the mix of players that includes the experience of some playing varsity since their freshman seasons and ones who are still younger in the program, Cooper said having the varying of players is "different."
"We have kids who have battled with you for three or four years, and we have kids who are coming in who have to blend in, and the same with the older kids," Cooper said. "As a coach, it is fun, because every day of practice is an adventure."
With the experience gained from last season, Cooper said one noticeable difference is he doesn't see a sense of panic anymore.
"Last year, I thought we panicked a lot," he said. "We turned over the ball over too much, but I don't see the panic as much. We are still going to have turnovers, but so far, if we get down two or four points, we come back and look to make a stop.
"Then we go back … I don't see the kids relying on just one player to score, and as a coach, that is good to see."