By Chris Parker
Wheatland girls basketball slipped below .500 for the first time since 2014-15 last year, but the Mules will look to turn that around behind a strong sophomore class this year.
“This year we will be led by our sophomore class,” Wheatland head coach Jeremiah Bryan said. “Our four sophomores gave us extremely valuable minutes last year. Chloe Pearson is our point guard and will be our captain on the court. Jaz’Myn Baldwin (forward) is our most vocal player and has turned into a very dominant post player. Taylor Gant (shooting guard/forward) has turned into a serious threat behind the arch. Hannah Roberts (shooting guard) has the potential to be our best defensive player.”
Pearson earned first-team all-conference honors last year after scored 10.2 points per game while breaking the school record for 3-point percentage in a season.
Baldwin increased her scoring output late in the year to averaged 10.2 points per game over the final month of the season.
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Senior Heavenly Lewton also returns as a threat from three-point range. She scored 7.4 points per game.
Four freshmen in Kiarah Blation, Mackenzie Antle, Ava Kinney and Sophie Kenig, along foreign exchange student Amelia Chagneau will be newcomers this year.
“Kiarah and Mackenzie will both be fighting for a starting spot and will bring us big minutes,” Bryan said. “Kiarah is a very strong player that will be a great addition to Jaz’Myn inside the post. Mackenzie is another individual that can make some big shots for us this year.”
The newfound depth for Wheatland will be a strength this year.
“This year our greatest strength will be the depth. This may be the deepest bench that I have had in my eight years here at Wheatland,” Bryan said. “We will need to improve on our defense and rebounding if we are going to make a push into the postseason.”
Wheatland opens the season on Nov. 19 at Northeast Vernon County.
“I don’t think many people will have very high expectations from this year’s team due how young we will be, which will take some pressure off of the girls,” Bryan said. “Our identity this year is going to be that we will be very young and hard working with a defensive mindset.”
