The Trinity Lutheran girls basketball team is coming off of a 20-5 season that included a sectional championship.
With four starters returning, expectations are running high this season. The Cougars are ranked No. 3, behind Tecumseh and Lanesville, in the Class A preseason poll.
Mike Lang is beginning his 11th season (167-78 record) coaching the Cougars.
“We’re no longer in a rebuild situation. We’re in a reload situation. What we’re doing now, we’re looking hard to solidify our bench,” he said. “This group of girls has worked hard to be established to where they’re at now. We’ve got some good, young talent in the gym with us now. We just don’t have a lot of size. We’ve got to be able to use our speed and do a lot of the little things in order for us to be successful in the long run.”
Junior Bailey Tabeling topped the Cougars in scoring last winter at 19.6 points per game. The other returning starters are seniors Kailene Cockerham (8.2) and Emma Schepman (4.0) and sophomore Liza Froedge (7.7).
“I like playing on the right block more. I like to play against man defense more than zone. Against a zone, they are in the middle and they kind of crowd the lane,” Schepman said. “Defense, I think we play better in a zone. In rebounding, you just find your person and block them out. It’s going to take a lot of hard work and staying dedicated.”
About being a senior leader, she said, “I like to stay focused and have everybody work hard. Practice is important.”
Cockerham said where she sets up on offense depends on if the Cougars are fast-breaking or running their half-court offense.
“If Bailey gets the rebound, I’m just sprinting to the corner, staying wide so it gives her the lane. If they close in on her, she can dish it out to me and I’ll just shoot,” she said. “I don’t like the corner as much, but if it comes to me there ,I’ll take the shot. I would rather play on the wing. Bailey and I will probably alternate on the ball handling and getting it up the floor and push the girls.”
Cockerham thinks the Cougars have a common goal in mind about this season.
“My outlook is to go as far as we can and just to keep the team focused, and as the same goal as all of us seniors have, which is going to state, make sure they know how important practice is and to show up all the time and do your best and get better,” she said. “My leadership is to tell the team it’s OK to make mistakes, just keep your head on and come in and get better and listen to the coaches because they have good life lessons for us.”
Other seniors on the roster are Hannah Durham, Emma Schepman and Kayla Goecker.
“It seems like we talk about blocking out a lot,” Lang said. “I’ve used the term ‘6-3 (Sydney Jaynes) is not walking through the door any time soon. We really have to find a body when the shot goes up.’ We’ve got to go after the balls hard. We don’t have a ton of size. We’ve got to have that (aggressive) mentality on the court, as well. Getting the 50-50 balls is going to be key for us as well throughout the season.”
Lang said the Cougars are going to get the ball up and down the floor at a fast pace.
“We’re going to run when we can. With our size and with our speed, we’re going to have an advantage over a lot of teams. It’s a team that can beat you driving and also beat you from the outside,” he said. “If we have to get in a half-court, we’ll get in a half-court. If we don’t have to run a set, we’re not going to.”
Lang said the Cougars will do more pressing the more they get in shape, as several of the players got a late start in basketball coming over from volleyball.
“When we get into the press, we’re hoping we can have four or five players coming off the bench with the same kind of speed and aggressiveness to help us out,” Lang said. “We’ve just got to stay healthy amongst ourselves. We did a really good job of that last year. It’s going to be nice having fans back in the stands and come out here and watch the girls. It’s going to be fun.”
The Cougars will open at home Tuesday night against Brownstown Central.