Sectional champ Tiger Cubs ready to be targeted

Thursday, November 7, 2013
Lauren Bridewater brings the Tiger Cubs an outside shooting threat as they try to defend their sectional championship. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

With just two seniors, the Greencastle girls' basketball team is among the youngest in the county, but the team is also the most experienced. The Tiger Cubs return all but two players from last season's sectional championship team and the team is ready for a season's worth of being the favored team.

"This year we're definitely starting in a higher place than we were last year," GHS coach Brad Key said. "I don't know if we're feeling pressure to repeat. We definitely understand that there are expectations that we put on ourselves, but I think the first thing we want to do is to continue to develop as a team and get better.

"... We understand that there's probably a target on our back for some teams. Expectations are high, but we've kind of embraced it. It's where we want to be so it's good."

The Tiger Cubs won their first sectional championship since 1993 last season and their reward is a redrawn alignment and what appears to be a tougher draw. The new Danville Sectional includes Tri-West, Beech Grove and Indian Creek, the regional runner-up last season that knocked Greencastle out of the tournament.

Greencastle is ready to accept the challenge with a team that returns five players who played significant minutes last season.

While the Tiger Cubs lost defensive and statistical leader Rayleigh Amis and vocal leader Jessi Covert, they've gained incoming senior Melody White, a forward who returns to a team already full of veterans and established leaders.

"For the first 20 minutes of practice, (senior Alex Basile and junior Callan Taylor) literally run the drills for me because they know exactly what I want and what needs to be done," Key said. "I feel like Callan has been here for five years."

The veteran group with four returning starters makes it easier to install an offensive and defensive system, Key said, starting on "step four or five" instead of step one. The team also has a better understanding of their expectations and the consequences for violating them, helping the girls discipline themselves and giving more time for bigger-picture aspects of the game during practice.

Greencastle junior Callan Taylor attempts a three-point shot during practice in the preseason. Taylor has been a leader for the Tiger Cubs as the upcoming season approaches. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

Four of the starters from last season's regional semifinal game -- Basile, Taylor, junior Jessica Lenihan and junior Taylor Stoltey --are back this season, but Key said that doesn't necessarily mean they'll be starters throughout 2014.

White and her sister Allison, a sophomore, will get big minutes at forward, as will junior Lauren Bridgewater, who started a few games last year.

The Whites are athletic and give the Tiger Cubs additional height and talent in the post and Bridgewater adds a dimension GHS lacked last season, Key said, a dominant outside shooting threat.

"Lauren is probably one of the better shooters that I have had," Key said. "I'm not sure she's on (Mallory Miller's) level yet, but Lauren definitely is not afraid to shoot one. ... Hopefully we're a little more dynamic from the outside. It took us a little while last year to be that sort of team."

With the depth of talent, it's almost easy to overlook Lenihan, who led the team in points with 11.5 and chipped in 7.0 rebounds. With an expanded offensive game this season, she will be among the better players in the conference on one of the better teams in the conference.

The Tiger Cubs are taking the season in stages, each with its own set of goals.

"Right now we're just kind of coming together as a team," Key said. "Our main goal ... is to continue to get better throughout the year. That's the cool part of last year is we definitely got better."

With a solid foundation, GHS will then turn its sights to the County Tournament on Nov. 22-23, the West Central Conference championship and its final goal, a return to sectionals.

"You always want to go to sectional," Key said." You want to cut down that net, especially after cutting it down last year and getting a taste of that. Having that police escort last year. Just cool things.

"That's what we're trying for. To start off it's continue to get better and the end goal is definitely sectional."

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