New look Mitchell girls basketball to rely on teamwork, athleticism on the floor

MITCHELL A new season is on the horizon for a Mitchell High School girls basketball team thatll bring a new look to the floor.

Its also one where the Kernels look to showcase the players athleticism.

ADVERTISEMENT The idea comes from the height of the roster, of which Mitchell will have only two players to start the year who are 5-foot-8 or taller.

Playing small ball is a familiar concept to the team, leading the Kernels to focus on other areas of the game with eagerness.

Based on how practice has gone, third-year head coach Dave Brooks can tell the players are putting in hard work at the start, bringing optimism to this group.

They were ready to get to basketball, Brooks said.

The kids are ready to go, like their attitude and theyre working hard so far.

...

Were pleased with the shape they came into the season with.

The Kernels also know they come into the year off last seasons run to the No.

2 overall seed in the Class AA playoffs.

Mitchell went 20-4, winning the Eastern South Dakota Conference championship and finishing in sixth place in the state tournament for the second consecutive season.

It was Mitchell's first 20-win season since 2013-14, and MHS has been 30-16 under Brooks the last two seasons.

From last years campaign, three of Mitchells five starters and four of its seven players mainly used in rotation are back.

In total, the Kernels return eight letterwinners to the girls basketball program, mostly freshmen and sophomores wholl see time at both varsity and junior varsity, with their development over the season ultimately having an influence in the teams final standings.

As the younger girls start to grow, well be able to incorporate them into running our plays, senior Makenzie Peterson said.

As soon as they get a hold of it, well be able to substitute them in to get more legs running with what were going to be doing.

Were going to have to work together and not one persons going to be able to do something, added senior Lauren Van Overschelde.

Were all going to have to chip in, but I think everyone knows that and is good with that.

ADVERTISEMENT Van Overschelde returns to the starting lineup with fellow senior Carsyn Weich and junior Addie Siemsen, the top returning scorer after averaging 12.3 points per game in a breakout sophomore season who recently committed to Division II Wayne State College.

Peterson also returns as a steady presence who appeared off the bench last season, but after that, sophomore Matteah Graves is the only other player back having made more than five appearances in a game last season.

Knowing theres shoes to fill following both Sawyer Stoebner and Allison Meyerinks graduations, it will be a learning process to everyone on the bench.

Itll be a learning process not only for them, but for us as a coaching staff, Brooks said, Figuring out how we best get these kids in the game and what groups work, and it might be different every game, depending on who we play.

Mitchell hopes to get reinforcements by the new year, as sophomore Kenzie Hetland, listed at 6-foot-2, is working back from a strained anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee injury she sustained towards the end of volleyball season.

For now, the focus in practice has been locking in the teams modified zone defense and creating takeaways in transition at a faster tempo than before in an effort to create scoring, going back to the athleticism the players hope to display each game.

Were going to have to move fast and rely on how athletic we are, Van Overschelde said.

Were not going to be able to sit down on the offensive end and set up plays.

Every single one of us trusts one another and weve worked hard every single day.

Mitchell begins the year against defending Class A state champion Vermillion at 7 p.m.

on Friday, Dec.

13, at the Corn Palace..

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