By Chris Parker
Gainesville girls basketball experienced back-to-back four-win seasons in 2021-22 and 2022-23. Last season, the win total jumped to 17.
“I think the biggest reason we made such a big jump last year was because we had a group of girls that wanted to win and change the culture of our program,” Gainesville head coach Lance West said. “Our seniors were really hungry for a winning season after the last two seasons we had experienced. I give them credit for really stepping up and encouraging our girls all season long. We were very fortunate to stay healthy last season, which allowed Andrea Winrod and Addie Alms to play together all season long. Those two gave our team some much needed size on both ends of the floor and that was a big missing piece for us to have some success. The team really worked well together, and they wanted to get the program back on track. It was definitely a team effort, and the girls competed hard all season long.”
This year, the Lady Bulldogs will look to take the momentum from last year and keep it going in a quest for the program’s first district title since 2017.
“For us to compete for a district championship, we need to keep working and grinding every single day throughout the season, with the mindset of trying to get better individually and as a team,” West said. “I feel like we could possibly have an even more talented team than last year’s group, but we will be young. We only have one senior (Laney Suter), one junior (Andrea Winrod), three sophomores (Addie Alms, Kelsie Hogan, Lauren Smith), and a few freshmen that will be competing for some varsity minutes (Baylor Hewett, Mylie Frye, Amie Winrod). The goal is for them to stay healthy and grow together as a team throughout the season. Once they get used to playing together and understand everyone’s roles on the team, we have a chance to be solid. The season is long, and we are going to take it one game at a time, in hopes of playing our best basketball come February.”
Alms was a first-team all-conference selection as a freshman after she averaged 13.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2 blocks per game.
“Addie has a high basketball IQ for her age. She understands the game and she is pretty good at it. She sees the floor well on both ends of the court and is a great communicator with her teammates out on the floor,” West said. “I think maturity and strength has been her biggest improvement since last season. She is stronger and has a full year of varsity experience under her belt, so I am excited to see what this year brings for her and our team.”
Andrea Winrod earned all-conference honors as a sophomore. She averaged 8.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game.
“Andrea had some big games for us last year,” West said. “She is very strong, rebounds well, and is one of the hardest working players out on the floor. She is a triple threat; she can drive, shoot, and sees the floor well to find her open teammates. We will lean on her to be an effort leader for our team this season. She will be asked to play multiple positions for us this year depending on the line up we have out on the floor.”
Suter, the team’s lone senior, averaged 4.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game last season.
“Laney Suter loves her team, plays so hard, and is willing to do whatever it takes to win,” West said. (She is a) very solid shooter, looking for her to knock down some big shots for us this year.”
Hogan chipped in 2 points and rebounds per game to go with 1.1 assists and 1.5 steals.
“Kelsie Hogan is long and lanky and plays with a lot of energy, especially on the defensive end,” West said. “We will look for her to bring that energy on a nightly basis.”
Smith will look to expand her role this season after scoring about a point per game in her freshman year.
“Lauren Smith plays with a lot of heart,” West said. “She will be given the opportunity to help fill our point guard position this season. She has gained some much-needed confidence over the summer, and we look for Lauren to have a bigger role at the varsity level this season.”
Freshmen Baylor Hewett, Mylie Frye and Amie Winrod will look to make immediate varsity impacts.
“Baylor is capable of playing in multiple positions. She has good court vision and is capable of handling the basketball and making good decisions. She is also strong and big enough to play inside,” West said. “Both (Frye and Amie Winrod) will get a chance to compete for some varsity minutes. They both work extremely hard and are competitors. It will all depend on how quickly these girls adapt/develop at the varsity level. I am encouraged that they both will earn some valuable minutes as the season progresses.”
Experience will be a strength for Gainesville.
“I have five varsity players coming back from last year’s seven-man rotation that all saw valuable minutes,” West said. “Three of those were starters, so I would have to say our biggest strength going into the season is experience. My two best scorers are back in Addie Alms and Andrea Winrod. I look for them to take on a bigger role offensively this season. Lastly, I feel like our team chemistry is in a good spot to start the year with our incoming freshman getting added to the mix, they all seem to mesh well together, and we are excited to get things started.”
While the experience is improved, youth will still be a factor with just one senior on the team.
“We are still going to be a young team, so we will have some growing pains throughout the season,” West said. “It is going to take some time amongst the team to understand what everyone’s role will be. We had a little bit of a slow start to the summer as we adjusted to playing together as a group, but I felt like we finished really strong as summer ball came to an end. We will have to become more consistent on the offensive end of the floor, taking care of the basketball and knocking down shots. I think within time we have a chance to have a real solid group this season.”
Gainesville opens the regular season on Nov. 22 at home against Koshkonong.
“The goal is for this group of girls to want to learn, grow, and work together as a team throughout the season,” West said. “Having the drive to want to improve on a daily basis is important. As long as we stay healthy and are able to do these things, we should be the competitive team I know we can be this season.”
