Expectations are high for the Nevada Lady Tigers. They return all five starters and every letterwinner from last year’s team that won a district championship and finished 18-9 overall.
Junior Calli Beshore leads that group of returning players. She averaged 12.6 points per game to lead the team last year. She serves as the team’s point guard where she averaged 4.5 assists on her way to all-conference and all-district honors.
Hailey Jackson is the lone senior among the returning players. She is the top defensive player for coach Brent Bartlett’s Lady Tigers.
Juniors Payge Dahmer (guard) and Teagan Charles (forward) bring shooting and rebounding to the Lady Tigers. Dahmer was second on the team at 8.4 points per game while knocking down a team-high 46 3-pointers. Charles led the team in rebounding with 5.6 rebounds per game along with chipping in 5.6 points.
Sophomore Alison Bower rounds out the starting five. She was second on the team at 8.6 points per game in her freshman season. She earned all-conference and all-district honors.
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The junior trio of Lindsay Phebus, Lindley Ferry and Hailee Lundine round out the returning letterwinners. Senior Sydney Ernsbarger and sophomore Abby Harder are newcomers to watch for the Lady Tigers.
Last year’s run to a district championship gave the Lady Tigers a taste of what making a postseason run is like. They are ready to put that experience to work this year.
“Coming off a district championship win, we realize the value of hard work and dedication and that encourages us to put extra work in after practice and on our own time,” Dahmer said. “I think I can speak for the team when I say that we are extremely excited to represent Nevada High School in our new conference and through the entire season.”
Bartlett expects a strong season from his strong returning group.
“I expect us to be very competitive this year. We have a group of girls that are very athletic and tenacious. Staying healthy and being a strong rebounding team will be the keys to a fine season,” Bartlett said. “We will have good inside-outside combinations playing together that gained valuable varsity experience last year. We will be trying to generate points with our defensive pressure. Taking care of the basketball is another important key to success.”
Nevada opens the season at the Carl Junction Tournament from Nov. 26-29.
