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2014 Greencastle Girls' Basketball Preview
This season the Lady Tiger Cubs will be hoping to continue the success of last season despite losing two of their top players, Alex Basile and Melody White, last season.
The GHS girls' basketball team came out as the victors in the Putnam County tournament before losing to Indian Creek in the sectional semifinals.
"We feel like we are in a good spot right now," Greencastle coach Brad Key said. "We only lost two seniors. They were two great seniors but, when you only lose two from a team that won 13 games, it's a good thing. We have several three-year starters coming back. It's fun coming into practice not being on step one but maybe on five or six. We have a long way to go but the first week of practice has been good."
Senior Jessica Lenihan says that the team has meshed from an early point in the year.
"It's been awesome," Lenihan said. "The coaches are great, the girls are great. It is always fun playing with the girls that I've grown up with. We've always been the same and most of us have stuck with it. Coach Key is awesome. He is always there for you. He knows what he is talking about. So it is always good for to help you. You can go to him at any time."
While the season has yet to officially begin, Key did say that the team's chemistry that has been formed over the years can become strength on the floor but as it is so early there is time for different parts of the Tiger Cub game to grow.
"It is early," Key said. "Teams progress throughout the year. So a strength in November isn't necessarily a strength in February. I think we have camaraderie. We have a great group of girls that have been together for a long time. They know what to expect and that is the cool part as a coach, getting to watch all that come together early on. I don't have to say much to them, they hold themselves accountable. It's fun to watch."
The team's natural chemistry isn't enough to satisfy the Tiger Cubs. The ladies are making their primary focus to build a cohesiveness that can translate into good plays on the hardwood.
"Right now we are just focusing on making sure we do enerything right," senior Callan Taylor said. "We're making sure that everybody is on the same page and that we are all working hard and playing good defense."
Lenihan says coaches are trying to instill the plays so to avoid any confusion when game time arrives.
"We're working on getting the shuffle (play) all the way through and making sure it is perfect," the senior said. "We're doing the best we can to make sure we know all the plays so that we are all on the same page and not mixed up."
Key praises the athletes on the Greencastle team for their receptiveness to the coaching staff and the messages taught.
"The kids are great," Key said. "The seniors, it has been fun to watch them. They believe in me and I believe in them. It is a lot of fun to be around girls like that for four years. We're lucky. We have a great coaching staff with a great group of girls. The program is in a good spot right now."
When asked about the team goals Key said the players have taken that into their own hands.
"I had them come up with the slogan this year," Key said. "It's a Michael Jordan quote. 'Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.' They came up with that and I thought that was really cool. It shows that they know we are solid but they've got to get a little bit smarter.
"We've tuned up our offense. We are playing at a higher level now than we have in the past. Hopefully we can translate that to the games. Right now practice is a lot of fun. I've really enjoyed this first week of practice."
A feat that Key is most excited about is the academic standing of his players.
"For my seniors, juniors, and sophomores, in their first nine weeks grade, their cumulative GPA is 3.74. It's unbelievable. That shows you the type of girls that we have working in here. I joke with them that I hope that translates into better jumpshots. But we have a good group from top to bottom. Coach Welker is with our JV. Our JV is going to be solid again. So we are very excited about this year."
The season begins on Tuesday at home against Owen Valley before a two-game roadtrip.