(by Don Meador, November 24, 2021)
The 21-22 basketball season for the Allen County-Scottsville Lady Patriots is expected to have a new “old” feel and feature an up-and-coming squad eager to turn heads in both the district and region. When the season tips off next Monday----and yes, the tipoff to start the game is back---the 48th season of girls basketball in Allen County is expected to be filled with cautious optimism.
AC-S---like every high school basketball team across the Commonwealth---is coming off the most unique season in the history of the sport. However, with the COVID-impacted season past, the Lady Patriots turn their attention forward with an air of excitement.
“Our team is excited for the coming season as always but there is a different level of excitement due to things being more normal as of late,” noted fourth-year coach Greg Dunn. “We no longer have to wear masks while stretching. We don't have to sanitize the balls. The bench will be arranged in a more normal fashion so it feels like we are back to normal, at least for now. We won't take anything for granted and realize things could change and we could go back to more restrictions. We realize there are still chances someone could contract COVID and we could have issues with players being quarantined, so we still want to be careful and not forget what we have been through the last couple of seasons. The girls have been working hard and we see improvement in individuals and as a team.”
Several players were directly affected by COVID in 2021 with the entire squad required to go through a 10-day shut down at one point. However, senior Chloe Cook was, without a doubt, the most impacted. Cook battled COVID in late December prior to the start of the season---a season delayed until January by the KHSAA. However, long term COVID issues forced Cook to miss her entire junior year. (Read her story here.)
Cook is healthy and eager to get back on the court. She is expected to be the team’s leader this season as the only senior on the Lady Patriot roster.
“Chloe is so important to our team,” Dunn explained. “I had a conversation with her recently and she said that she knew several years ago that when her senior year rolled around she would probably be the lone senior. There just were not many girls in her class that wanted to play basketball. Chloe has started since her freshman year and has the most experience of anyone. She has the potential to be our leading scorer and rebounder.”
Dunn adds that Cook’s knowledge of the game along with her talent was greatly missed last year and will impact the team this year.
“Equally important is her ability to be a player/coach on the floor,” coach Dunn said. “ Unfortunately she didn't play a single game for us last season due to complications from illness and that had a huge impact on our season. She did a great job from the bench last year of encouraging and supporting her teammates. I know last year was difficult for her not to be able to play and I am so thankful that she will have the opportunity to play her senior year. Her impact is so evident to our team. Last summer we attended team camp at Campbellsville University and Chloe was not with us at the beginning due to a schedule conflict. When she arrived to play in some games, the level of play for everybody on our team dramatically improved. The same has occured this year as we began practicing. Chloe was still with the volleyball team so we were without her for a few weeks. When their season ended, and she showed up to practices, our level of play improved. Obviously, basketball is a team sport and all players are important and we need them all for us to be able to win, but Chloe certainly is the key to our success. I don't want her to feel a lot of pressure but I believe she thrives on having that pressure and knowing a lot of people are relying on her experience and ability to lead our team.”
Cook averaged seven points and seven rebounds as a sophomore two years ago. A player since middle school, Cook has appeared in 82 games and made 56 starts. This season, Dunn hopes that her numbers increase to help provide much needed offense.
“Chloe is a key factor for our team,” Dunn stated. “Although she didn't play last year and her overall health has been impacted by the illness, her level of play has not diminished. The coaches as well as the players know how important Chloe is to this team in so many ways and we rely on her in so many ways to lead our team. I believe she will have the opportunity to average double figures in scoring and rebounding. She will play multiple positions including in the post, on the wing, and at times run the point. She is a very versatile player. Her leadership is invaluable. “
The Lady Patriots will look to junior Jaylee Covington to increase her offensive numbers. Covington averaged 5.1 points and 6.4 rebounds as a sophomore.
“Jaylee is 5'10" and a very good athlete,”coach Dunn pointed out. “She has become a good perimeter shooter and can shoot the three and can also go inside and post up and get shots from in the paint as well as off offensive rebounds. She runs the floor as well as anybody and can give us opportunities to score off fast breaks. She works extremely hard in everything she does and continues to show improvement.”
Last year saw the continued development of sophomore Jaeleigh Steenbergen. Know by her nickname, “Bean”, Steenbergen averaged 8.2 points and 7.5 rebounds in 2021.
“Bean started 19 times as a freshman last year and is a very good athlete,” coach Dunn noted. “We expect big things from her over the next few years. She is athletic and strong and is becoming a very good shooter. She is a big guard but could go inside and post up smaller guards. She's very competitive and loves the game. “
Expected to join Cook, Covington, and Steenbergen in a starting role is a youngster that turned heads with her quickness as an eighth grader. Aubrie Naiser started six games, played in all 21 games, and averaged 5.1 points and 1.7 rebounds. Naiser also recorded a team-high 67 steals.
“Aubrie is very quick and a good ball handler and is improving as a shooter,” coach Dunn added. “She will play the point but can also move to the other guard position. Her speed and quickness allow her to push the ball and get break away lay-ups on some of those steals. I believe we will see great things from Aubrie during her high school career.”
Dunn expects several underclassmen to push for court time and help the Lady Patriots replace the 57.5% of their offensive scoring lost with the graduation of Allison Meador, Jae McReynolds, Taylor Carter, and Haleigh Steenbergen.
“Trinity Duke is a junior guard/wing who played some off the bench last year,” Dunn said. “ Trinity has worked hard on her own outside of the season to improve and has become a good shooter. Trinity has the ability to hit the three and has developed a good pull up jump shot off the dribble. We need her to score points and be a solid rebounder and take care of the ball. She will battle for starting opportunities and see plenty of time from the bench as well.”
“Sarah Wright is a sophomore guard/wing who came off the bench some last year,” coach Dunn added. “She had a knee injury and surgery but is back at full strength. Sarah is reliable and has improved her shot. She is very bright and understands the game. She makes few mistakes and I believe she will contribute as a scorer this year. She has the potential to start some games as well as get plenty of action off the bench. She is a hard worker and very coachable.”
“Claira Berry is another sophomore guard/wing player who also had a knee injury that required surgery last season,” coach Dunn explained. “She is back now at full strength and is doing a great job. Claira plays extremely hard and has become an excellent rebounder. Rebounding is something that requires some technique but also a desire and willingness to put in the effort to do it and to have a knack for knowing where the ball is going to come off the rim. She will see some starts as well as see plenty of time off the bench. She is a hard worker and fierce competitor.”
While Duke, Wright, Berry have limited varsity experience, a pair of varsity newcomers will also be in the playing mix for the Lady Patriots. Both Ally Anderson and Ava Walker bring athleticism and varsity experience (in other sports) to the table.
“Ally Anderson is a freshman guard who came up from the middle school toward the end of last year to play some JV,” Dunn added. “She is a very good athlete. She started in softball and competed in the state cross country meet which speaks to her athleticism and hard work. She plays hard and understands the game. I expect her to get plenty of varsity time as a freshman.”
“Ana was an important part of the volleyball team's success this past season,” coach Dunn explained. “She is 5"10" and has really good hands. She hasn't played basketball since sixth grade but is showing improvement. If she continues to improve throughout the year and gain some playing experience in JV, her size and good hands could put her in position to play some varsity. “
Juniors Riley Swygart and Raeleigh Steenbergen are returning to the roster this year and will be seeking to discover their role.
“Riley suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery,” coach Dunn said. “She is back and has shown improvement and is very bright and understands the game. She demonstrated her commitment to Lady Patriot basketball by always being at conditioning and practice despite having the injury that kept her from playing. Riley will see JV action and could come off the bench at the varsity level. Raeleigh sat out a year and decided to return to basketball. She is athletic and works hard. She will have the opportunity to improve her skills at the JV level and may have the opportunity to play some varsity minutes.”
Coach Dunn also mentions a youngster that is expected to join the team once the current season ends at the James E. Bazzell Middle School.
“Avery Morris is a name that we will hear in this district and region for several years,” Dunn noted. “She is a seventh-grade guard that will be shared with us until the middle school season ends and she joins us full time. She has some skills as a seventh grader and a natural ability that most seventh graders don't have. If she works hard and continues to improve she will be a very good player. She will see some time at the F/JV level and we anticipate her seeing varsity time as well.”
The coach is quick to note that the program roster will also include several additional high schoolers and rising players that will be asked to tome their skills at the freshman and JV level this season.
“There are several other freshmen that are working hard and middle schoolers that will join us after the middle school season and play F/JV with us,” coach Dunn said. “A couple of them could dress varsity at times and see some minutes.”
As noted by the grade levels of the players, this year’s Lady Patriots area younger group---a fact that will make the 21-22 season interesting but also put into place the building blocks to success for many years to come.
“We are a fairly young team with a limited amount of varsity experience so there are a lot of unknowns,” coach Dunn emphasised. “We feel like we are trying to find our identity right now. There are certain lineup combinations that may allow us to be more up tempo and get out and push the ball and score on the break as well as allow us to press on defense and try to create turnovers. There are other lineup combinations that will be better suited for a more controlled and deliberate pace. With a young team it may take a while for us to identify the style that works best for us. A lot of that will depend on our opponent and what their strengths and weaknesses are. I believe that if we are fortunate enough to avoid injuries and we remain free from any Covid issues, we will get better and better as the season progresses. That is what the regular season is for. We hope to improve and gain experience throughout the year and be in a position by the post season to win that first district tournament game that would put us in the region. Of course our goal is to win the 15th District Championship and compete for a 4th Region Championship and opportunity to play in the state tournament.”
AC-S struggled to a 7-14 record last year. However, that record does not reflect several key stats that could have quickly shifted the narrative. In 2021, the team was 5-4 in games decided by five points or less and had an 6-8 record in games decided by 10 points or less. In addition, the team had just started a three-game win streak when COVID issues and winter weather required a 20-day interruption between games in February. The Lady Patriots never recovered from the momentum killer.
Looking ahead to the start of the 21-22 season, the Lady Patriots will also look to continue a streak and build upon the program’s “tradition of excellence.” AC-S starts the year having made at least one 3-point basket in 71 consecutive games and 92 of the past 93 games. The last game without a 3-point basket was on December 14, 2018. AC-S will also launch the year needing six wins to reach the 850 wins in program history. The program’s 844 wins in 47 years ranks Lady Patriot basketball as the sixth winningest program in state history.
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