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NOTE TO READERS: The following article draws substantially upon observations made over previous seasons of several of the players who will be part of the Polson Lady Pirates basketball team spanning the 2010-11 season. Those who will comprise the varsity roster remains in process at this juncture of the season. Therefore, the reader should take into account that the mention of a player below does not necessarily mean that they have secured a position on the varsity roster when it may be determined that they would benefit either from additional seasoning or further development at certain aspects of the game. Should injuries occur or new talent emerge, adaptations to the roster are liable to occur at any time. Coaches attempt to field a team with those who display the highest level of acquired skills that will provide the most competitive level of play on the court.
Given the preceding disclaimer, it was felt that providing a few savory appetizers for area basketball fans would help whet the appetite for the upcoming roundball season even though roster decisions haven’t been finalized , and it is with these considerations in mind that the following comments are offered. For the benefit of those who may find reading so much material too cumbersome, section headings have been provided so one can negotiate past portions deemed of less importance to the reader in order to get to those portions considered to be of greater interest. An explanation underlying some of the rationale behind why the presentation is structured the way it is and its length is provided at the base of the article for parties who might be interested.
2010-11Preseason Girls Basketball Preview:
Northwestern A Polson Lady Pirates
by John Heglie
RECAP SUMMARY OF 2009-10 BASKETBALL SEASON
Last season the Polson Lady Pirates (5-3 conference, 14-8 overall) led the Northwestern A for a good portion of the regular schedule, but ended up situated third in the conference standings behind Columbia Falls and Libby after late season road losses to both squads. Highlights included a pair of eyebrow-raising wins at home over two-time defending AA state champion Missoula Big Sky and Kalispell Flathead. Those early performances garnered the attention of area sportswriters, who had ranked Polson as high as 5th in the power polls at one point. That kind of recognition lent credence to the preseason prognostications of Whitefish coach Sean Duff, who had deviated from the current of conventional thinking favoring Columbia Falls and Libby when he identified the Lady Pirates as one of the preseason favorites based on their athleticism and team speed. Four of the five varsity starters finished the regular schedule ranked among the top ten in overall scoring and all five crested the century mark for total points scored, a feat which came close to approximating some of the team scoring dynamics of back-to-back State A champion Anaconda.
At divisional, the Lady Pirates avenged their late season loss to the Lady Loggers by dispatching Libby in their semifinal match 38-31, setting up a collision course confrontation with back-to-back NWA regular season champion Columbia Falls. Despite losing one of their top ten scorers as well as defensive standout in the first minute of the divisional championship to a torn ACL, Polson had the WildKats on the ropes with both twin tower DeWit sisters in foul trouble in the waning minutes of the game and a mere basket difference separating the two teams. Forward Breanne Kelley almost stole the divisional championship when she pinched the basketball from a WildKat ball handler with 49 seconds remaining and drove down the floor for a layup to give Polson a 46-45 lead. But some clutch free throw shooting by Columbia Falls coupled with missed opportunities by Polson secured the WildKats with a 48-46 win and their second successive divisional crown. Despite the disappointment of the loss, the Lady Pirates qualified for the state tournament. In their first round matchup at state, Polson would succumb to the Sidney Lady Eagles and future Lady Griz 6-2 Jordan Sullivan, but not before mounting a valiant comeback to trim the scoring margin down to a respectable 44-40 which may have tilted in their favor had more time been on the clock. In consolation play, Polson would be eliminated by Havre 52-44 even though they placed two players in double figures with Nicole Davey posting a major double-double with 23 points and 14 rebounds to close out the final game of her prep basketball career.
GRADUATION & OTHER DEVELOPMENTS IMPACTING THE ROSTER:
The sole graduate from last season’s team was multi-sport standout Nicole “Bring It” Davey, two-time all-state / three-time all-conference (1st-team 08-09, honorable-mention 07) outside hitter in volleyball , two-time all-conference (1st-team 10, 2nd-team 09) forward in basketball and two-time state track team champion hurdler, relay runner, sprinter as well as pole vaulter extraordinaire. Last season Davey was not far from averaging a double-double per game (9.95 pts, 8.57 reb) and accrued a seasonal double-triple (209 pts, 180 reb), a performance which garnered her the Tiffany “Tigger“ Duford Spirit Award conferred upon the recipient by fellow teammates for their display of character, leadership and inspiration. She made her presence felt all over the hardwood in multiple statistical categories of the TOP TEN (4th in rebounds and 2-point field goals, 5th in steals and FG percentage, 10th in blocks). Davey closed out her prep (so.-sr.) basketball career with 467 points, 411 rebounds, 11 blocks, 110 steals and 38 assists. She is currently playing collegiate volleyball for the MSU-Billings Yellowjackets
Although the Lady Pirates lost only one player to graduation, the complexion of the roster this season will undergo a substantial metamorphasis from that of last season.
It was anticipated that all-conference 1st-team and PHS Defensive MVP senior Sierra “Speedy” Pete would be healed up and good to go after tearing her ACL the first minute into the divisional championship last winter. Unfortunately, “Speedy” won’t be so speedy for the Lady Pirates this season as she suffered a retearing of her ACL over the summer and had to undergo another surgery this past Fall, effectively bringing to an end her prep athletic career. Pete was an invaluable contributor who placed among the TOP TEN of the conference in multiple categories last season (3rd in steals, 4th in free throw percentage, 7th in 2-point field goals as well as field goal percentage and 8th in total points). But perhaps her greatest asset to the team was her defensive prowess. Pete would almost seem to climb into the hip pocket of her defensive assignment and shut down their offensive capabilities until they dwindled down to manageable proportions. A healthy Pete had the capability to blow by perimeter defenses and split defenders with bursts of speed as she drove her way to the hoop or zip under the basket to snatch a rebound before the other team had a chance to gather it up in order to attempt a put back. Pete’s career highs were a 16 point outburst against AA Glacier her sophomore season, a total which she duplicated against Whitefish at home last year to go along with six other double-digit scoring outings. For her abruptly shortened career, Pete totaled 293 points, 128 rebounds, 80 steals, supplemented by 35 assists and 5 blocks.
A pair of additional seniors who were part of last year’s roster will also be unavailable this season. One of those is all-state / two-time all-conference (1st-team 10, 2nd-team 09) softball catcher and two-time all-conference (1st-team 10, 2nd-team 09) volleyball setter Kayla “Spirit Fingers” Duford. The contributions of Duford were evident up through the midpoint of last season by her TOP TEN presence for 3-point field goals and free throw percentage before other players in the conference supplanted her. The other is Kendyall “Rockin” Rochin, skillful libero of the volleyball team who was a supplemental guard on the basketball roster. The duet of Duford and Rochin combined to fill in nicely during the divisional championship and state tournament games when Sierra Pete could not play due to a torn ACL. Both will be concentrating their efforts this winter on scholarship applications and preparations for their Spring sport involvements: Duford to be that much better prepared to defend her team’s state softball title from behind the plate and Rochin working on sharpening her courtside manner as well as honing her return volleys for tennis.
Others whose services will not be available this season, but who were part of the roster in much more subsidiary roles, include senior state track placing relay runner Katie Finley, junior volleyball defensive specialist and track meet placing pole vaulter MaCall “Mighty Mite” Banner, junior Veda Mathias and junior Sarah Cannon.
While the number of vacancies created by the changeover from last year’s roster would be ordinarily characteristic of a rebuilding year for most teams, the Lady Pirates should be more than competitive with those they return supplemented by some transfers and the maturation process of skill acquisition among younger talents.
LADY PIRATE BASKETBALL ROSTERS: VARSITY, JV & FROSH
Most prominent among the returnees will be all-state, all-tournament honorable-mention, twice all-conference 1st-team and two-time PHS Offensive MVP senior 5-9 forward Breanne Kelley (almost 12 ppg), an athletic standout who has had multiple nicknames conferred upon her to coincide with her multi-sport capabilities: “Breezey” because she makes it look easy when she runs like the wind up and down the court, and “Killer” because her exploits with a basketball tend to usher opposing teams toward their demise much like she does with the kills she spikes during volleyball season. Kelley has been a statistical presence in multiple categories of the TOP TEN for the second year in a row (tied 1st for steals, 3rd for 2-point field goals, 4th in free throw percentage and total points, 8th for blocks, tied 9th for assists, 10th for 3-point field goals).
She has scored more than 250 points in back-to-back seasons, her career high being a 32 point outburst against Ronan her sophomore year. With the graduations of Jackie Mee and Kelsey DeWit, it is anticipated that Kelley will be among the contenders for conference scoring honors along with Kayla DeWit of Columbia Falls and (an)other sharpshooter(s) yet to be determined. Unlike disgruntled malcontents who sneak around under the cover of darkness to puncture tires with knife blades as an expression of misdirected hostility, Kelley does her slashing on the basketball court when she makes precision cuts between defenders on her way to the hoop.
All-conference 2nd-team junior 5-10 post Riley Kenney is a quintessential gamer with a blend of height, athleticism, personality and determination to excel that would make her a formidable opponent in whatever endeavor she might elect to tackle. Kenney scored in double figures on thirteen occasions last season, five of those being double-doubles. On a handful of other occasions she was just a board or two shy of having several more double digit outings for rebounding. By the end of the season, Kenney had crested the century club (160 reb) in that category, placing 5th in the conference among some exclusive company.
While her warm smile and friendly demeanor may lull some defenders into complacency, the bulk of her scoring can be attributed to a soft touch coupled with selectivity about taking lower risk high percentage shots. That kind of discretion garnered her over 200 points scored for the season. If opponents opt to foul Kenney as she makes a move to the basket, she makes them pay at the free-throw line. Last season, Kenney knocked down over 70% of her shots from the charity stripe to place 3rd among the conference leaders. She was also a statistical presence among the TOP TEN in three other categories: 2-point field goals, combined field goal shooting and overall scoring. Her career high thus far has been a 20-point outing against the visiting Stevensville Lady Yellowjackets.
All-conference honorable-mention junior 5-5 guard Mariah “Brown Suga” Hamel has some sweet ball handling skills that coincide with an acute perception of what is going on around her on the court. When Hamel would find herself in a sticky situation, she could always exercise her options about whether to dish an assist to a teammate when the defender was covering her closely or take the shot herself when the coverage left some space to maneuver. Hamel crested the century mark for points scored and the number of assists she dished to teammates by the end of the season virtually matched her scoring numbers in value. In terms of regular season statistics, Hamel placed among the TOP TEN of the conference in a trio of categories: 6th for assists, tied 6th for 3-point field goals and tied 8th for steals. Hamel has aspirations of playing at the collegiate level someday and continuously works at developing the kind of skill sets that would be essential components of an effective ball handler for any team.
Senior 5-9 forward Marlee Berry would be deemed an asset to any basketball roster given her height, but it is her industrious work ethic that will take her far long after the basketball is put on the rack. While many of her teammates were involved in other sports in the off season, she has been applying the dictum “practice makes perfect” with basketball in hand, honing her skills so that she will be good to go when situations that require her contributions arise. Berry had just worked her way into the bottom rung of the TOP TEN for 2-point field goals early last season when she sustained an injury to her knee during a practice drill that sidelined her the remainder of the basketball campaign. Eager to make up for lost time, one anticipates that Berry will be attempting to condense two seasons into her final one and therefore could be considered doubly dangerous.
A crafty tennis player during the Spring, junior 5-5 forward Jordan Quinn has developed some nifty footwork that should come in handy when it becomes necessary to split a sandwich of defenders before one ends up cornered in a pickle. Quinn also has a nice perimeter shot among her arsenal that could help unwrap defenses that attempt to pack around the rim. Her sense of anticipation for reading passing lanes could also shackle opposition ball movement at the defensive end.
The level of play orchestrated by sophomore 5-8 forward/post Heidi “Rumblin” Rausch tends to exceed that ordinarily expected from an underclassman and is anticipated to further heighten her familiarity to players around the conference if connections haven’t already been made. This Rausch was cut no slack by her multi-year all-conference accolade-recipient siblings John and Tim when she wanted to play basketball with them when she was younger. Consequently, her skills had to develop at an accelerated pace if she hoped to experience an inkling of success at the game of basketball having to go up against the talented likes of those two. If opponents should end up victimized by an unanticipated maneuver implemented by Rausch, a measure of solace might be derived by laying some blame on the tutelage of her brothers.
Ronan transfer all-conference honorable-mention junior 5-6 guard Nina Orozco-Charlo should make a “Lovely” addition to the Lady Pirate roster with the skill sets she brings to the court. Orozco-Charlo moved up through the ranks her freshman year with the Maidens to the varsity level, where she demonstrated she could not only hold her own, but also added an further dimension to a struggling team with her ball handling. Last season she was the second leading scorer for the Maidens, placing 4th in the conference for 3-point field goals and tied 8th for steals. She was also an early season presence among the TOP TEN for 2-point field goals, combined field goal percentage, free throw percentage and total points scored.
Another Ronan transfer who will benefit the purple & gold this season will be all-conference 2nd-team senior 5-9 forward Jonna Grant, who was the high scorer for the Maidens last season. Grant had multiple representation among the categories of the TOP TEN statistics of the conference (2nd in free throw percentage, 9th for 2-point field goals and field goal percentage) and is anticipated to be fairly productive for the Lady Pirates. She was also a presence among the TOP TEN for several weeks running for combined field goal percentage and total points scored.
Texas transfer sophomore 5-5 guard Star Begay hails from Corpus Christi, where she has benefited from exposure to some high caliber players in the biggest state of the Union despite being at such an early stage in her basketball career. As a result, Begay has shown indications that she could really shine for the Lady Pirates once she adapts to the newness of the system, masters different sets of plays and becomes accustom to the capabilities of her teammates.
Sophomore 5-5 guard Anna DiGiallonardo is a speedster that the Lady Pirates could draw upon in an intermediate role. Like Kelley, DiGiallonardo is a part of the state-placing track relay team, won her heat in the 100 meter sprint at state, finishing 2nd in the final. Opponents who fail to take into account her intercept speed will find themselves empty-handed and pay for it at the other end of the basket.
Sophomore 5-5 guard “Bodacious” MacKenzie Banner has a multi-sport athletic portfolio as one of the defensive specialists for the Lady Pirates during volleyball season and places in the pole vault during track meets in the Spring. Such involvements are indicative of levels of quickness, agility and a good sense of balance. Her background in ranching and rodeo have likewise instilled in her a solid work ethic and a watchful gaze that helps to anticipate which direction an opponent is liable to break or track where a ball is likely to go. Banner and DiGiallonardo were among the team leaders for assists as well as steals for their frosh squad last season.
Sophomore 5-7 forward/post “Tenacious” Tanisha Matt is one of a select few underclassmen to carve out a niche on the conference top-seeded varsity volleyball roster. Her leaping ability and long reach are likely to be valuable assets as a defender and for gathering in boards. When Matt is positioned well, she should get her share of putback opportunities as well.
Sophomore 5-6 forward Marlee Seemann will be entering the basketball season in exceptional shape with good stamina, having been a competitive participant of the cross-country team. Seemann and Matt were among the leading rebounders for their frosh squad last season.
Sophomore 5-3 guard Kabrina Cordier has quick reflexes for disrupting ball movement among her array of defensive skills. A good ball handler, Cordier has also developed a decent outside shot with deceptively disguised fakes to buy her just enough extra time to maximize the launch sequence needed for getting off a higher percentage look at the rim
A trio of freshman have already demonstrated the kind of skill sets that warranted elevating them to the Junior Varsity level. They include 5-7 Jessica Bagnell, 5-8 Jessica Hoel and 5-9 Monika Frame. Like Rausch, Bagnell and Hoel have benefited from having brothers who have played competitive basketball and took the time to pass along some of the insights into being an effective player on the basketball court. Frame is the younger subling of one of the cheerleading coaches, indicative of a background that would be attentive to details with an emphasis upon coordination and mastery of routines.
Other members of the frosh squad that merit keeping an eye on this season and in years to come include 5-0 guard Keana Cordier, 5-3 guard Karly Rochin, 5-3 guard Malia Hamel, 5-4 all-state cross country guard Tegan Bauer, 5-5 guard Jaylin Kenney, 5-3 forward Mckenna Sampson, 5-6 forward Kyrie Bitterman, 5-7 forward Jaylin Ellenwood, 5-7 forward Sequoia Bagrow, 5-7 forward/post Shelbi Mallon-Reid, 5-10 forward/post Trae Thiel, 5-9 post Hallie Hovenkotter and 5-10 post Breanna Harrison. This year’s freshman class is one of the largest in the history of the Polson school system, so the pool of talent that could be drawn from the larger than usual number of turnouts was higher than in previous years, making for some difficult decisions about who would fill the limited amount of spaces available.
Senior Sierra Pete will provide logistical support for the coaching staff in the capacity of an assistant student-coach. The managerial duties for the various basketball teams will be carried out by freshmen Amanda Harrod, Kidron Lee and Nicole Clairmont.
ANALYSIS AND SEASON PROGNOSIS
The varsity basketball roster for the Lady Pirates is looking more like a hospital ward for the walking wounded at this juncture of the season than a team with a substantial amount of returnees that challenged for the divisional crown and made some noise at state. A host of physical maladies have either forced adjustments to personell or afflicted the capabilities of those who can still play by hampering their overall effectiveness: torn ACL, strained neck, separated shoulder, dislocated elbow, gimpy knees, dicey ankles and muscle spasms are just some of the difficulties these lassies have had to deal with. So as head coach Randy Kelley embarks upon his fourth season at the helm of the Lady Pirates, assisted by Brad Fisher and Steve Davey, one theme that seems to be emerging is maintaining the health of the Lady Pirate squad for the duration of the basketball schedule.
Before opponents start breathing sighs of relief that Polson might be more manageable this season, they should pause and reflect upon some of the traditions surrounding pirate lore: though slowed by limp they be, thar be plenty o’ fight (arrgh) that abides in thine ailin’ buccaneer. Those who challenge these Lady Pirates should remember that sometimes encounters with a wounded animal can be equally dangerous.
Much like in years past, opponents are liable to have trouble keeping pace with the 2010-11 rendition of a Lady Pirate team laden with state track placers, and there could be a lot of puffing and wheezing if they opt to run with them the duration of the game up and down the court. But being endowed with some of the best speed in the conference doesn’t amount to much if that advantage can’t be translated into points on the scoreboard. One form of intervention for alleviating such concerns will be incorporating more BEEF (balance, eye, elbow, follow-thru) into the shooting diet of the Lady Pirates. Another will be boosting productivity at the free throw line, an Achilles heel for the purple & gold in seasons past. The Lady Pirates showed measurable improvement last year when they placed two players in the TOP TEN of the conference for free throw shooting, but performance at the charity stripe still proved to be a significant factor in the outcomes of the divisional championship and at state.
A lot of high functioning grey matter is operating under those flowing locks of hair as it streams up and down the court given the amount of National Honor Society and high honor roll representation among their ranks. So the Lady Pirates should be pretty decent at problem solving and improvising solutions to complex problems when the arise on the basketball court. Nevertheless, some would be advised to pay extra close attention to their geometry and physics coursework so that they can make the most of their opportunities. The grade one receives after any contest will be contingent upon how well speed is integrated with vectors of approach to the basket (avoid overrunning a shot), what arcs of trajectory are utilized to achieve the greatest yield (minimize rim out) and how one adapts methods of release to maximize caroms off the glass (cut down bricks off the backboard).
A cursory glance at the list of ingredients entering the mix that will make up this year’s team of Lady Pirates would seem suggestive of a recipe for a successful season. But numerous challenges remain as the coaching staff seeks to achieve just the right blend of the appropriate formulation in order to get the team to cook at the most conducive temperature so that they sizzle on the court while at the same time they avoid getting burned by the heat of competition. No matter how good or talented a team might be, there is no substitute for hard work and dedication when striving to attain those bigger payoffs.
How capable might the Lady Pirates be this season? One encouraging barometer could be the outcome of the girls 11th-12th grade basketball bracket of the Flathead Lake 3-on-3 Tournament this past summer, where “Team Kelley” defeated “No Name, Just Game” to win the championship. The team names don’t convey much to the reader until one unpacks their rosters to identify the principal players. “Team Kelley” was comprised of Kelley, Hamel, Berry and Orozco-Charlo, essentially a core extract from the Polson Lady Pirates varsity roster. “No Name, Just Game” was a team made up of McCall Hasquet, Kate Patenaude, Riley Cullip and Keli Grover, integral members of the AA Missoula Sentinel Lady Spartans girls varsity basketball team that had gone undefeated up through the halfway juncture of last season. While 3-on-3 street ball played on asphalt isn’t a 1-to-1 correspondence with 5-on-5 prep basketball played on a hardwood court, it does provide basketball fans with an indicator of the level of competitiveness the Lady Pirates can be expected to be putting on the court during the course of their encounters this season.
The basketball season for Polson opens with the Tip-Off Tournament jointly hosted by Corvallis and Hamilton the weekend of December 10-11.
stats courtesy of Terry Werner culled from nwmta
awards and other input provided courtesy of the girls basketball coaching staff
this article is also featured on the Polson High School website on their athletic blog
EXPLANATION PERTAINING TO METHODOLOGY AND APPROACH UNDERTAKEN BY THE AUTHOR:
The philosophical rationale undertaken behind this preview follows a threefold orientation.
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