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Talented South Putnam squad wants to keep improvement going
South Putnam coach Brian Gardner graduated two seniors from last year’s 11-12 Eagle squad, and has only one senior this year as he works to build a strong program for the next several years.
Gardner took over a young team last season that barely missed the .500 mark, and is hopeful of climbing above that mark this season.
Junior Miranda Bieghler averaged 13.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game last year, while classmate Lillie Stein scored 10.7 points per game and hauled down 5.4 rebounds. Maddie McHugh, another junior, averaged 4.4 points and 5.2 rebounds while Ally Nichols (another junior) averaged 2.5 points and 1.3 boards a year ago.
“The depth and the energy they bring is very important to our team,” Gardner said. “They all played big minutes for us last year. Caitlin Capps also played a lot toward the end of the year.”
Promising sophomore guard Aubrey Barker transferred from Greencastle to join several other returners and bring optimism to South Putnam, along with sophomore Whitney Boswell.
“The first thing is the group of girls has worked really hard, picked up what we’re doing and continued to work hard every day. That’s what I knew we had. Early on you know you’re going to have mistakes, and you have to be able to work through those — and they have done that.”
Lone senior Jessica Vinsko averaged 1.5 points and 1.6 rebounds last year, and brings an experienced mindset to the young Eagle squad.
Gardner pointed to Vinsko as the leader of the team’s chemistry.
“She’s done a great job of being positive with everything and leading the younger players,” he said. “The one big strength is that we have some depth this year. We don’t just have five or six girls who can play; we have several others who can play, and that allows us to be flexible.”
Gardner admitted that having depth at a school of his size is a rare luxury.
“It’s something you always want, but you rarely have it,” he said. “You always see that dropoff at certain points, especially if you get into foul trouble.”
Gardner feels each of his players has progressed differently,
“You always look at each year of progression, and this year Ally Nichols is one who has made great strides,” he said. “Last year she was a sixth or seventh player for us, and she’s had a really good preseason. Maddie McHugh is another one who has played a lot and is healthier.”
Bieghler and Stein were the top producers last year, but have also continued their progress.
“They were the cornerstones last year,” Gardner said. “But they have both gotten stronger and improved as well. Jess Vinsko is someone who played some JV last year, but she’s going to have a big role for us this year.
“Caitlin Capps is someone else who has gotten better. Each person has gotten better.”
Like all coaches, Gardner and his staff have battled the issue of the shortened preseason practice.
The original season opener was scheduled to be Nov. 1 against Clay City, but that game was moved to Dec. 6 due to Clay City’s participation in the volleyball regional.
Gardner admits that change isn’t the worst thing that ever happened.
“When I played, you had three or four weeks, maybe a month, to get ready for your first game,” he said. “You could really go through and break things down, but now you have that smaller window. The game change gives us more time to critique and fine tune things before we have a game.
“We can get a little bit better at some of the little things early on,” Gardner said.
Items of improvement before Nov. 8 are team defense and making fundamental basketball moves.
Gardner thought the quality of play in Putnam County and in the expanded Western Indiana Conference was good last year, and he looks for that factor to improve this season.
“I think it can be even better this year,” he said. “Greencastle has lost some seniors, but they have been the county champion and I know they have some good young players. They are going to be pretty good, Cloverdale is going to be good and North Putnam is going to be better.”
Gardner also notes Cascade as a quality conference foe.
“I think it’s going to be a good year for girls’ basketball around here,” he said. “Cascade was in a sectional final last year, and didn’t lose many people. Each night we’re going to have to compete to get ready for games.
“The good competition during the regular season will help all the teams come sectional time.”
Gardner also looks toward a strong class of incoming freshmen to build for future seasons.
“We talk about how it’s a process, and you have to make strides all year long to do well in the tournament,” Gardner said. “The younger players have adapted very well, coming from eighth grade basketball.”
Gardner admits that while he has coached basketball at many different levels over his career, including two seasons as the school’s boys’ head coach, that he learned a lot last year in his first year.
He was the fourth consecutive new head coach for the girls’ program last season, and looks to build upon last year to provide long-term stability.
“The second year it’s always easiest,” he said. “You already have an established relationship with the girls. You get to coach them during the summer, and they know how you’re going to coach. They know what to think and what to expect.”
Basketball is basketball, though.
“Coaching boys and coaching girls, a lot of it is the same type of stuff,” he said. “Fundamentals and doing the little things right will go a long way.”
Roster
Jessica Vensko Sr.
Miranda Bieghler Jr.
Ally Nichols Jr.
Maddie McHugh Jr.
Lillie Stein Jr.
Aubrey Barker So.
Whitney Boswell So.
Caitlin Capps So.
Kylie Wyatt So.
2016-17 schedule
(Times listed are varsity tipoff)
Today — North Vermillion (scrimmage), 2 p.m.
Nov. 8 — at Rockville 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 11 — at Edgewood 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 18-19 — Putnam County Tournament
Nov. 21 — Southmont 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 30 — at South Vermillion 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 2 — at North Putnam 6 p.m.
Dec. 6 — at Clay City 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 9 — Greencastle 6 p.m.
Dec. 12 — at Owen Valley 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 16 — at West Vigo 6 p.m.
Dec. 17 — Cascade 1:30 p.m.
Dec. 27 — Monrovia Tournament
Jan. 3 — Shakamak 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 6 — Sullivan 6 p.m.
Jan. 10 — at Riverton Parke 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 11 — Eminence 6 p.m.
Jan. 13 — Northview 6 p.m.
Jan. 16 — North Central 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 20 — Western Indiana Conference playoffs
Jan. 26 — Cloverdale 7:30 p.m.