Season preview: Hard work, enthusiasm keys for young Lady Wildcats

Banner County girls basketball coach Brittany Cooper looks for her team's hard work and enthusiasm pay off in 2014-15.

The Lady Wildcats return three starters and six overall lettermen for the season as they look to improve from last season's 3-18 record.

"I'm excited to see how the pieces fit together and how we improve and have a lot of fun throughout the season," Cooper said.

Banner County returns three starters from a year ago in senior guard Ashlynne Hanan, junior forward Taylor Evans and junior forward Paige Cross. Hanan averaged 5.3 points per game, 4.8 rebounds per game and 1.2 steals per game a season ago. Evans is the leading returning scorer after averaging 5.9 points per game a season ago, in addition to 4.9 rebounds per game and 1.2 blocks per game. Cross, who is recovering from surgery, averaged 3.6 points per game and 2.8 rebounds per game a season ago.

Additional returning lettermen for Banner County include junior guard/forward Shay White, senior forward Christina Grubbs and sophomore guard Savannah Jordan. White averaged 1.8 points and 2.0 rebounds per game last season.

Cooper has high expectations for her returning players this season.

"I expect positive leadership, communication and aggressiveness from my experienced returnees," Cooper said.

Newcomers to the squad include junior guard/forward Abby Russell and five freshmen - center MaKenna Dahlgrin, guard Courtney Knisley, forward Emily Singleton, guard/forward Bailee Underhill and guard/forward Sierra Flores.

"All the newcomers who can contribute size or aggressiveness while executing effectively will have an immediate impact," Cooper said.

The fifth-year Banner County head coach expects her team's hard work and enthusiasm to be strengths this season.

Ares where the Lady Wildcats need to show improvement include shooting percentage and turnover margin.

"We need to build mental toughness and team cohesiveness, as well as improve our shooting percentage and turnover margin," Cooper said.

The biggest challenge for the team is lack of numbers, Cooper said.

Offensively, Cooper expects to see improved shooting and fewer turnovers from the Lady Wildcats in the 2014-15 season.

Defensively, the head coach expects to see tough man-to-man defense without fouling and dominating the defensive boards.