Following the Brownstown Central and Trinity Lutheran girls basketball game Tuesday, Cougars coach Mike Lang applauded the strength of the Braves.
He told me we are lucky to cover such a strong team, and to enjoy watching them this season.
The coach also said Brownstown Central was quite possibly the best team in southern Indiana.
While it may be only two games into the 2014 girls basketball season, the Braves appear to have one of, it not the, strongest team in Jackson County.
And I’m not the only one with this opinion — the ICGSA currently has the Braves ranked 20th in Class 3A.
The Braves have outscored their opponents 126 to 90 in their first two games. While it may not seem like an incredibly large margin, they have done it with their bench playing almost the entirety of the fourth quarters.
So far this season, the Braves have outscored their opposition 64 to 38 in the first halves of their games.
But it’s not just one person who is scoring for the Braves. Over the past couple games, 10 different girls have scored on the squad.
Senior Brooke Ebbing is poised to have a career-season at the rate she’s racking-up points. The Braves forward has put up 44 thus far this season, including a 24-point performance in the season opener at Paoli.
The Braves aren’t just getting it done offensively. They have caused an outrageous 40 turnovers so far this season and out-rebounded the opposition 68 to 43.
They have held their opposition to singe-digit scoring in three of eight quarters.
In her eighth year as coach, Karla Rieckers has a record of 115-44. The head of the Braves feels confident in her athletic, senior-led group and expects them to leave it all on the court every game and practice.
In 2013, the Braves finished 16-3.
They won 13-straight games after a 66-59 loss to Seymour on Dec. 5. It was an incredible year for the Braves. However, the season ended in heartbreak as they lost their opening-round of sectionals to Charlestown 66-53.
With this squad, the Braves have high expectations.
If you get a chance, go and check out the girls basketball team this season. You won’t regret it.