By Chris Parker
Marionville girls basketball won 19 games for the first time since 2014 last season, and Lucy Newberry was a big reason why.
Newberry, one of the top players in Class 2 earned all-conference, all-district, district player of the year and all-state honors as a junior. She is the unquestioned leader of the team.
“Lucy’s greatest asset is her leadership,” Marionville head coach Casey Young said. “Lucy bought into this role as an underclassmen when the program was in its rebuilding stage. She has now turned into a serving leader being the example of leadership for her underclassmen teammates. Lucy has high expectations for herself as well as her teammates. She has seen the days when the program had very few numbers and she was pounding the pavement to get girls to come out for basketball so there was a team. She has put blood sweat and tears into this program and in that her leadership has developed out of love for the program and she leads her teammates with love and expectation.”
Last season, Newberry averaged 20 points, 6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 4 steals per game.
“My expectation for Lucy is to continue to lead her team. We are young and her leadership will be key this season. Lucy has a high basketball IQ and skill to go with it. I expect her to perform at the level she has worked so hard to reach,” Young said.
Sophomore Annaliyah Ghan also returns with all-conference honors from last season. She was named honorable mention all-conference on the strength of her 9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.4 steals per game averages.
“Annaliyah is such an athletic girl,” Young said. “Her drive is what brought her so much success at the varsity level. She was determined to come in and make a difference as a freshman and that is exactly what she did.”
Maggie Murphy earned all-district honors as a sophomore.
“I look forward to seeing Maggie on the court this year,” Young said. “She is intense and tough. Maggie Murphy has a great work ethic and is willing to go to whatever length necessary for her team to be successful. Maggie works hard in the weight room and has been working in the off season to improve her game.”
Anna Bright and Hannah Oczkus are two more returning juniors returning for Marionville.
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 maturity on the court this summer and spent a lot of time in the gym. She had an injury midseason that set her back a bit. She has overcome that, and I am eager to see her growth on the court this season.”
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 should help our team.”
Sophomore Disli Vaquez returns to the team in her sophomore season. She played in junior high but did not play last season.
CLICK HERE FOR LINKS TO ALL OF THE WINTER PREVIEWS
“Disli worked hard this summer and has continued to do so in the off season,” Young said. “She never misses a work out and is always working on her game.”
Marionville has a group of five freshmen who will look to make immediate impacts including Dally Pomeroy, Lanie Stokes, Avery Eden, Lincoln Mais and Ashlin Carr.
Young on Pomeroy: “Dally Pomeroy comes in as a freshman with a lot of basketball and experience and a high IQ. She plays wide open from the tip offensively and defensively; she is very intense and competitive. We were able to see Dals work ethic this summer. She comes in as a freshman with a high expectation for herself as well as her team. I expect her to bring big energy to her team with the rest of the freshman class.”
Young on Stokes: “Lanie Stokes comes in as a freshman with a lot of basketball experience. Her IQ is very high and her work ethic is higher. I expect big things from Lanie this year on the offensive and defensive end. She gave us a taste this summer of just how hard she is willing to work. This freshman class brings a new energy level that we have been missing.”
Young on Eden: “Avery Eden comes to us as a very athletic freshman. I brag that she is very literally the fastest girl in our school. I am excited to see what her athleticism brings to our team. She fits in with the rest of these freshman that we gained; big energy and a great work ethic.”
Young on Mais: “Lincoln Mais is growing in her athleticism and is buying in to the weight room and working hard this off-season. Lincoln is quiet. She soaks up everything you tell her. She is just a very coachable kid. We played a lot this summer and every time this girl got on the court she was more focused and more comfortable. She is very strong and will be able to play anywhere on the court that I need her to play.”
Young on Carr: “This lefty is big and strong. Ashlin is a great rebounder. She had a broken wrist this summer, and it killed her to sit out when she had to. She is a competitor and is ready to play. She loves the weight room and that should translate nicely to her working in the paint and being the rebounder I know she can be.”
The returners and newcomers have blended together very well over the summer.
“Our biggest strength this season will be our grit,” Young said. “These girls are connected on a whole different level this year. They not only want to work to be successful for themselves but they want to work and help their teammates be successful. We will bring a lot of toughness and grit along with IQ and experience this year.”
