Wizards return five from district finals team
Jason Wade heads into his first year as the East Canton girls basketball head coach with five returning letter winners - seniors Tori Reichard (guard/forward), Kammi Lebo, Emily Haas and Brooke Chastain; and sophomore Audrey Wade.
Reichard, a three-year letter winner, averaged nearly nine points, two steals, and three rebounds last season.
“Tori is a solid shooter, and her long-range threat will be key for the Wizards this year,” stated Coach Wade. “She will be called upon to lead us on and off the court.”
Lebo’s junior campaign was hampered by injuries.
“Kammi played well down the stretch once she started getting healthy, and she will look to continue that growth,” noted Coach Wade. “She is a strong, solid player who can rebound and defend the post well. She will be called upon to step up her offensive game this season, and look to score more consistently, as well as be a leader on and off the court.
“Emily looks to step into a roll as a solid contributor. She is a solid outside threat who has worked hard to improve her all around game offensively.
“Audrey went through some growing pains throughout the season trying to find her legs playing consistent varsity minutes as a freshman. While she struggled scoring, she improved her passing and defense throughout the year.
“Brooke is a fast and athletic forward who runs the floor as well as anyone. She plays solid defense and looks to be a difference maker at that end of the floor. Additionally, Brooke looks to improve her rebounding by putting that athleticism to work in the paint.”
Also being looked upon to contribute are senior Hannah Coss; juniors Annie Carter, Klara Pero and Samantha Monter; and sophomores Anna Baker and Kaylynn Huprich.
“We look to play an uptempo game this year, pressuring the ball hard defensively and pushing the ball in transition offensively,” commented Coach Wade. “We will rotate 8-10 deep in order to keep fresh while on the court.”
Coach Wade projects his starting lineup to consist of Richard, Haas, Lebo, Huprich and Wade.
“The IVC North will not be easy this season,” stated Coach Wade. “Several teams seem to be poised for good seasons. The Wizards will look to compete in every game, and should be one of the teams vying for the top spot in the conference.
“This team is coming off a season where they advanced to the district finals, but comes into this season with a new look. After losing our two top scorers from a year ago, we look to present more of a team-oriented front. We will rely on aggressive defense, and fast pace transition offense if we are to succeed this season.
“While the team has five seniors, the team lacks varsity experience, and will look to see growth throughout the season.”
The Wizards opened up with a 56-29 setback to Wellington.
Reichard had 11 points, four rebounds and two steals; Wade had eight points, six rebounds and three steals; Lebo had four points, and Monter grabbed four boards.
“We struggled last night in some key areas, defensive rebounding and turnovers,” stated Coach Wade. “These are areas of focused growth for our team. We also struggled to make shots when we had opportunities.
“The team is working hard, and showing progress every time we take the court. Tori had a good scoring game with 11 points, shooting 40% from 3-point. Sam provided a defensive spark off the bench for the team and has shown tremendous growth since last season. Audrey had a solid all-around game, leading the team in rebounds and steals.
“As a whole, we need to clean up our passes, be focused and aggressive on the offensive and defensive boards, and be more intentional in finishing when we have opportunities.”
This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Wizards return five from district finals team
