By Chris Parker
Diamond girls basketball has won at least 18 games in four straight season. That run peaked last year with a 25-3 record overall.
Gone from the team is two-time all-state selection Grace Frazier.
“Grace was a generational type of talent that does not come around too often as a coach,” Diamond head coach Marty Atnip said. “She is a born leader and one that just makes everyone else better because she put a lot of pressure on the defense demanding a lot of attention from the other team that she could deliver the ball where they could score. She is the second all-time leading scorer in Diamond girls basketball, and if she had not got hurt the last 12 games of the year her freshmen year she would be No. 1. She finished her career with 1,885 points.”
If Diamond is to keep the recent run of success going, players will have to step up into new roles.
“Keys for us this year will being able to stay healthy, everyone adjusting to new roles and being consistent night in and night out,” Atnip said.
The cupboard is far from bare for the Wildcats. First-team all-conference senior Lauren Turner returns after she averaged 15 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.4 steals per game last season.
“If Grace Frazier was Michael Jordan, then Lauren Turner was Scottie Pippen,” Atnip said. “She has been an unbelievable player in her own right and by the time she finishes this year she will be the third all-time leading scorer in Diamond history. She sits right now with about 1,100 points going into the season. She is one of the most versatile players I have ever coached and is a true athlete in every sense of the word. Lauren is going to play her normal guard position but will help bring the ball up more as she will help Jaylinn Starbuck the point.”
Fellow senior Kabrie Parmley also returns after earning honorable mention all-conference honors in her junior year. Parmley averaged 8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 2.1 steals per game.
“Kabrie has evolved last year from not just being a post player down low to an outside 3-point threat that makes her harder to guard,” Atnip said. “She runs the floor really well and defensively she has the quickness and size to defend all the bigs and even the guards. I expect big things from Kabrie as she will be starting her third year in a row.”
Jaylinn Starbuck (junior guard), Marissa DeJager (junior post), Aspen Daniel (junior guard) and Miley Lafferty (junior post) also return.
Atnip on Starbuck: “Jaylinn Starbuck will take over running the show at the point as she was a letterman as she played some valuable minutes on the varsity last year and was the leading scorer of the JV last year with 8 points per game. I think she can be an X factor in our success this year.”
Atnip on DeJager: “Marrisa DeJager has been our sixth man the last two years and has played a lot of minutes being a key contributor to our success the last two seasons. She plays bigger than her size indicates and has a knack for always being in the right spot at the right time. She averaged about 3.7 points at the varsity level last year and will be expected to up her scoring as she will get more opportunities to score.”
Atnip on Daniel: “Another letterman that will be expected to step up her role this year is Aspen Daniel who has the quickness to get to the rim and finish. Plus, she has worked on her outside shot so that she can become a more complete player.”
Atnip on Lafferty: “Miley Lafferty was a letterman last season. She was injured her freshman year, so this year she is hoping to take a big step forward as last season she was just getting back to what she was before. Miley is a strong rebounder and is a good defender who picks up a lot of trash buckets because of her work on the boards.”
Freshmen will also make an impact on varsity this season.
“We have a good crop of freshmen who I have coached the last two seasons at the junior high level and bring a lot of energy, grit and tenacity to this team this year,” Atnip said. “I expect five of them to make significant impact to the varsity level and challenge for minutes plus give us the needed depth to run the system we want without losing anything coming off the bench.”
Lilly Hoyer, Arrianna McDonald, Dawson Housh and Anna Roszell are all freshmen Atnip thinks could have an impact this season.
Diamond opens the season on Nov. 25 at Marion C. Early.
“I feel like we can compete for a district title and we should be a dangerous team come the end of the year,” Atnip said.
