By Chris Parker
Hurley girls basketball returns a pair of players who averaged in double figures last season in Jaema Schimmels and Madison Conrad.
Schimmels, a junior, scored 11.7 points per game with 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 steals on her way to second-team all-conference and first-team all-district honors.
“I am looking for Jaema to step her game up,” Hurley head coach Joey Little said. “Over the last two years, she has started most of the games, so she has a lot of varsity experience. Jaema will have to handle the ball and be a leader. She will be asked to score and be asked to play forward. It is time for her to be the player that I have expected her to be the last several years.”
Conrad, also a junior, scored 11.3 points per game with 7.8 rebounds and 3.3 steals. She was named honorable mention all-conference.
“Madison is a very athletic player who can dominate when she wants to,” Little said. “Madison was second last year in most categories on the team. She will also be asked to score and play tough on the defensive side.”
Selena Flores (senior), Dacia Grubbs (junior) and Morgan Smith (senior) round out the returning players.
Little on Flores: “Selena will be one of my two seniors. Selena will always give 100%; that is why she won the Hustle award last year. Selena increased her shooting percentage as the year went by last year. She plays tough defense and will do anything for the team. A true team player.”
Little on Grubbs: “Dacia is a player who works hard every day. Dacia got better every day/game last year. Dacia is willing to stay after practice and put in the extra work. I need her to step up and be a leader.”
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Little on Smith: “Morgan is coming back to play her senior year after not playing her junior year. Morgan is a hard-nosed player who does trivial things well. There are several things she does well that most people do not see. I missed her last year and am looking forward to having her on the floor again.”
Freshmen Addison Maxwell, Hayden Young and Erica Flores round out the roster.
“I am really looking forward to this year,” Little said. “This will be the first year in many that I will have more than six or seven players. I will have three ninth graders playing, and I will count on them to help with the older players. I will really miss the senior that I lost to graduation, Ashlee Robertson. She led us in most categories last year. We will have an experienced team this year, compared to the past. The team must reduce turnovers and learn to take care of the ball. Last year’s team, if down early, would seem to give up and just play out the game. We will be working hard to improve our defense, rebounding, and shooting percentage. I love the group of players that I will have. I hope we are ready to take the next step.”
Hurley opens the regular season on Nov. 28 at home against School of the Ozarks.
