By Chris Parker
Marionville girls basketball finished above .500 at 14-13 last year in the first season under head coach Casey Young.
Junior all-conference selection Lucy Newberry and senior Olivia Hopkins return to lead the team.
“Lucy Newberry and Olivia Hopkins will be my team leaders,” Young said. “Lucy is a competitor; she dissects everything and makes sure she knows every position on the floor. She is always going to do what’s best for her team. She watches more film than anyone I know; she prides herself on being prepared for every challenge. She plays a lot of basketball; her IQ is as high as the expectation she has on herself and her team. Together Lucy and Olivia Hopkins make a great pair to lead our team. Olivia is the softer side of the leadership team. She is always encouraging and doing her part to bring her teammates along. Olivia is our lone senior the girls look to her for encouragement and the experience and maturity that a senior brings to a young team. Olivia is our big in the middle, she has worked hard to make herself a better player as well as a better teammate. Hopkins and Newberry have worked to figure out how to make each other better as well as how they make our team better together. I am so proud of the matu
rity they show when they lead each other and their teammates.”
Newberry was named second-team all-conference last season averaging 13.7 points, 6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.6 steals per game. Hopkins contributed 9.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game.
Zailee Holder (junior), Maggie Murphy (sophomore), Hannah Oczkus (sophomore), Evie Brown (sophomore), Anna Bright (sophomore), Brooklyn Holder (sophomore) and Annaliyah Ghan (freshman) will look to round out the varsity lineup.
Young on Holder: “Zailee Holder is a kid that continues to get better every time she gets a ball in her hand. Zailee has worked hard to improve her shot as well as her shot selection. I love the intensity that Zailee brings to the team on the defensive end. She is small but mighty and I expect Big things from this little package of dynamite this year.”
Young on Murphy: “Mags stepped in and became a starter midseason last year. As a freshman Maggie led the team in rebounds as well as intensity. Maggie’s athleticism makes her the all-around athlete that can play anywhere on the floor. This girl has been so coachable and hardworking this off-season. She has been putting in the work and showing she is ready to take her game to a new level of competitiveness. Her dedication in the weightroom will help her become the asset on the floor we need her to be.”
Young on Oczkus: “Hannah Oczkus is someone that I am expecting to give our team some big minutes this year. This girl plays a lot of basketball, and her experience and IQ is going to be a nice addition to our group.”
Young on Brown: “Evie Brown is the most coachable kid I have met. She is that quiet player that comes in and just flows. This girl is so in tune with being what her team needs to be. She knows every play and every spot. She makes sure she knows every drill and is able to direct traffic. I love her commitment to her team. I expect big things from this girl as she continues to grow in the game.”
Young on Bright: “Anna Bright is such a hustler. Anna is working hard to improve her ball handling skills as well as get some more time on the varsity floor. Anna always wants to know what she can do to get better. Anna showed so maturity on the court this summer that I am eager to see during this season.”
Young on Holder: “If you ever had a player that you knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she would run through a brick wall for you, this is her. I am eager to see the growth in her game from her freshman to sophomore year. Defensively she is so tough, her and her cousin Zailee Holder and a defensive wrecking crew in spite of the small stature they both have. Brooklyn is an energy changer; I challenge players to meet her intensity level.”
Young on Ghan: “This girl is one of the most athletic girls that has come into our program in the last few years at least. This girl stepped up this summer and gave us a glimpse of what she is capable of. The girls gave her the nickname “Leroy” this summer and it stuck. They tried calling her Anna but we already had an Anna. Each game she was better, the more time she spends on the court the more growth we will see. Annaliyah brings a positive flow to the chemistry on the court, as long as she continues to work hard I have no doubt that she will bring great things to the program at Marionville.”
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Murphy averaged 5.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game last season. Holder added in 3.9 points per game.
“Defense will be our greatest strength this year. These girls know their roles and what they have to do to be successful on the defensive end,” Young said. “We will continue to gain confidence on the offensive end. I have watched the improvement since Oct. 31 and anticipate these girls continuing that trend.”
Marionville opens the season on Nov. 19 at the Verona Tournament.
