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Basketball team short on height

Basketball team short on height
by Lane Maguire

5’8”: about 2 inches shorter than the average height of most players on a girls high school basketball team and now the height of the tallest player on this year’s varsity basketball team. The Dart talked to three of the “tallest” returning players to see how this lack of height could affect the season. And through the process, the Dart discovered that height may not be the team’s only challenge.

Senior Jennifer Blake makes a shot November 7. Blake, along with the team, must overcome obstacles, including height and two injuries, to be successful this season. Photo by SARAH GODFREY

“We are going into [the season] completely wondering what’s going to happen,” varsity basketball player Maggie Rellihan said.

Also accompanying the lack of height into what Rellihan calls an “iffy” season is the loss of five varsity players, a new coach (the fourth in four years), a player with fractured metatarsal and another with a sprained thumb knuckle.

Although the latter preseason injuries may sound like bad omens to top off the already “iffy” season, they are expected to resolve before the season officially begins. Basketball player Jennifer Blake said she has already been playing with her sprained thumb knuckle and Rellihan’s fractured metatarsal will be cast-free early into the season.

“[Rellihan] will be fine,” varsity basketball player Becca Lueke said. “They said three weeks, so you know her dad is going to make her come back at that three weeks. I’ll make her come back. All she’s going to miss is open gym, tryouts and then the first week of practice.”

The team’s next challenge, the loss of seniors, helps to explains the lack of height, as last year’s seniors made up the majority of the height on the team. Former STA senior varsity basketball players include forwards Katie Pautler (5’11”), Maddie Lueke (5’8”) and Alli Franken (5’10”), guards Emma Steck (5’8”) and Caroline Gray (5’8”). In addition, two of last year’s potential varsity players, Peepers Gray and Katherine Barnthouse, will not be returning.

According to Becca, a post (usually the tallest player on the team) is normally between 5’9” and 5’10.” To work around the height issue, Becca, Rellihan and Blake agree that the team will probably play a 5-out offense, meaning that the players will stay outside of the 3-point line, rather than stationing a taller players inside that line. On defense, the team may double up on opposing post players. Becca believes that certain plays constructed to take advantage of the lack of height, such as these, will make up for any disadvantage in height.

“There are some really big people, but they’re not fast,” Becca said, referring to height of players on opposing teams.

Blake is familiar with these tactics designed to counter taller players from opposing teams because she faced similar height issues on her premier, summer team. However, she thinks the new plays may be a hard transition for other players.

Another transition that Blake believes will be hard is that of a new head coach, Mr. Chance Stephen. Although Blake describes his coaching style as tougher than that of previous coaches, his style will address the height on the team.

“He’s going to train everybody to be guards,” Blake said. “His coaching style is to play everyone every single position on the floor.”

Despite the shortcomings the team may face this season, the team is confident that they have the potential to do well.

“We went really far last year and that was with our falling out, or whatever you want to call it,” Becca said, referring to the coaching change mid-season. “But with all the [coaching] struggles we had last year, we pulled it all together when it came down to it and we went far into Districts. We hope to do that again but hopefully win and get a banner, a new basketball banner.”

 

 

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