Veteran coach Tim Gabbard said it’s hard not to be optimistic. He returns senior guard Rachel Murray, the three-time Buckeye Player of the Year, and senior center Marcella Sizer … they averaged 28.9 points, 14.3 rebounds, 6.3 steals and 4.3 assists per game between them last season.
GIRLS BASKETBALL LEAGUE PREVIEWS
» SWOC: Little Miami, Northwest voted teams to beat
» GCLC CENTRAL: Bacon first, Badin last in coaches poll
» SWBL SW: Bellbrook voted No. 1 in high-quality field
» GCLC NORTH: Carroll is unanimous favorite to repeat
» GMC: Parity improving, but Mason, West still favorites
“That’s a big 1-2 punch there and hard for anybody in the league to stop,” Gabbard said. “We went to the (Division III) regional finals and lost to Versailles last year. We’re hoping we can get back that far and get another shot at them.”
Preble Shawnee placed second in the Buckeye poll. Madison and Milton-Union tied for third, Carlisle was fifth, Dixie sixth and Northridge seventh. Carlisle received one No. 1 vote.
Shawnee has a deep, experienced crew and returns three double-digit scorers in senior guards Nicole Sims, Jenna Lovely and Brenna Woodard.
Madison had one of the Buckeye’s top returning players in junior guard Kenzi Saunders, but she suffered a torn ACL on Dec. 1 and will miss the rest of the season.
“We are young, but very willing to learn,” Madison coach Brian McGuire said. “Sometimes adversity speeds up the learning process, which I hope will happen to us.”
Senior guard Tara Price has stepped up in Saunders’ absence and fired in 30 points Thursday against Dixie. Junior forward Ally King is another returning starter, and sophomore forward Carley McMonigle should be among the Buckeye’s best rebounders.
Milton-Union has a high-scoring guard in senior Kristen Dickison. She averaged 14.4 points per game last year, but has a 28.3 average through the first three games this season.
New coach Tony Phillips has brought an up-tempo style of play to Carlisle, and the Indians want to run and shoot the 3. Senior Abby Erisman returns at a forward spot, but it’s mostly a team of guards.
“I love where we’re headed,” Phillips said. “We’re so young that I think we’re just going to keep getting better and better all year.”
Dixie likes to move up and down the floor as well and returns senior guard McKinlee Ruppert, who tossed in 16.1 points per contest last year.
Northridge coach Ken Ford has some experience and athleticism to work with as he tries to lift the Polar Bears out of last place, where they’ve resided for the last five seasons.
“We’re just trying to get the program moving in the right direction,” Ford said. “We’re pretty athletic, and if we can get after it on defense, we can battle some teams.”
THE PRESEASON POLL
Here’s how the coaches voted in the preseason Southwestern Buckeye League Buckeye Division girls basketball poll, with point totals and first-place votes (in parentheses):
1. Waynesville (6) 48
2. Preble Shawnee 40
3. Madison 28
3. Milton-Union 28
5. Carlisle (1) 26
6. Dixie 16
7. Northridge
A LOOK AT THE TEAMS
Here’s a team-by-team preseason look at the SWBL Buckeye teams, with information provided by the coaches:
1. WAYNESVILLE SPARTANS
Coach: Tim Gabbard (39th season)
2017-18 Record: 24-2 overall, 12-0 SWBL Buckeye (first place)
Returning Starters: Lynzie Hartshorn (5-8 senior guard), Rachel Murray (5-7 senior guard), Marcella Sizer (6-0 senior center)
Top Newcomers: Carli Brown (5-5 junior guard), Leah Butterbaugh (5-8 sophomore guard), Hannah Gill (5-5 sophomore guard), Kenna Harvey (5-5 senior guard), Kenzie Purkey (5-9 junior forward)
Team Strengths: Quickness, ability to score
Area Of Concern: Lack of size
2. PREBLE SHAWNEE ARROWS
Coach: Kevin Schaeffer (third season)
2017-18 Record: 18-6 overall, 9-3 SWBL Buckeye (second place)
Returning Starters: Kaylie Campbell (senior forward), Logan Hollon (senior forward), Jenna Lovely (senior guard), Nicole Sims (senior guard), Brenna Woodard (senior guard)
Top Newcomer: Cami Hollon (junior guard)
Team Strengths: Guard play, experience, depth
Area Of Concern: Lack power posts
3. MADISON MOHAWKS
Coach: Brian McGuire (eighth season)
2017-18 Record: 11-12 overall, 8-4 SWBL Buckeye (third place)
Returning Starters: Ally King (5-9 junior forward), Kenzi Saunders (5-5 junior guard)
Top Newcomers: Grace Baker (5-5 sophomore guard), Carley McMonigle (5-11 sophomore forward)
Team Strength: Chemistry
Area Of Concern: Inexperience
3. MILTON-UNION BULLDOGS
Coach: Katie Roose (sixth season)
2017-18 Record: 11-13 overall, 6-6 SWBL Buckeye (fourth place)
Returning Starters: Olivia Brown (6-0 senior forward), Kristen Dickison (5-5 senior guard)
Top Newcomers: Morgan Grudich (5-5 sophomore guard), Megan Jacobs (5-8 junior forward), Madison Jones (5-10 sophomore guard/forward)
Team Strengths: Quickness, can get contributions from anybody on the floor
Area Of Concern: Low numbers
5. CARLISLE INDIANS
Coach: Tony Phillips (first season)
2017-18 Record: 10-13 overall, 5-7 SWBL Buckeye (fifth place)
Returning Starters: Abby Erisman (5-9 senior forward), Caitlyn Stewart (5-7 junior guard)
Top Newcomers: Kaylee Dingee (6-0 sophomore forward), Abby Goodpaster (5-6 sophomore guard), Kaylee Lawson (5-6 freshman guard)
Team Strengths: Quickness, 3-point shooting
Area Of Concern: Lack of size
6. DIXIE GREYHOUNDS
Coach: Robyn Meinking (fourth season)
2017-18 Record: 2-21 overall, 2-10 SWBL Buckeye (sixth place)
Returning Starters: Gabby Bates (5-7 senior forward), Sydney Creamer (5-7 senior forward), Mariah Harlow (5-8 senior forward), McKinlee Ruppert (5-7 senior guard), Cydnie Stone (6-0 sophomore center)
Top Newcomers: Kalyn McQueen (5-9 junior forward), Kiley McQueen (5-5 junior guard), Sam Shell (5-8 junior guard), Madison Simon (5-4 senior guard)
Team Strengths: Depth, quickness, ball pressure
Area Of Concern: Inexperience
7. NORTHRIDGE POLAR BEARS
Coach: Ken Ford (second season)
2017-18 Record: 2-20 overall, 0-12 SWBL Buckeye (seventh place)
Returning Starters: Le'Nay Barrett (5-8 sophomore forward), Leslie Lane (5-8 junior guard), Loraine Reeder (5-9 junior guard), Diamonique Story (5-8 sophomore guard)
Top Newcomer: Ariel Wilcox (5-7 sophomore forward)
Team Strengths: Guard play, defense, 3-point shooting
Areas Of Concern: Discipline, turnovers
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