The girls basketball team is preparing to start a new chapter for the upcoming season and after losing the talented class of 2019, the team is putting together a new line up and new game plan.
Last season, the girls team had focal players Mallory Lafever, Macy Beinborn, Adrea Arthofer, Carli Spelhaug and Anna Griffin. Those five players accounted for nearly 81 percent of last year’s total points. They led the team to a closing record of 21-1, losing to Ankeny Centennial in the 5A Regional Championship.
This year’s team will be led by seniors Ellie Scranton, Regan Denny and Ilah Perez-Johnson. A key aspect of this season’s team will be creating a new team bond. Ellie Scranton is one of the returning varsity players. “There are only a few returning players from last year’s varsity team,” Scranton stated. “Many of us have not played together and the first few weeks will be crucial for us to find our own chemistry.” Only six out of the fifteen players will be returning from the previous season.
Although the team may have lost some talented players from last year, it allows for the younger players to step up and gain some valuable experience at the varsity level. Senior Ilah Perez-Johnson is looking forward to leading the new varsity members and helping them feel involved whether on the court or not.
Perez-Johnson sees this as a great learning opportunity for the new varsity players. “There will be a lot of new faces on the court and I think it will be better for those younger players to get that experience,” she said. With only three seniors on the team this year, Scranton, Denny and Perez-Johnson will have a lot of young faces to lead.
In terms of gameplay, a critical part of the girl’s basketball team is defense. The team last year was known for their strong defensive skills, and it is something the team hopes to carry over to the upcoming season.
Without the pivotal defenders from last season, the girls will have to “work harder and not relying on them will benefit our team tremendously,” said Perez-Johnson. Fans can expect to see many new faces on the court this season after losing last year’s seven seniors.
As the winter sports season begins this week, the girl’s basketball team is sure to be found working hard to prepare for another great season.
The girl’s basketball team takes on Cedar Rapids-Washington in their season opener on Nov. 22 at PVHS.
