2016-17 basketball preview: Verona Girls

verona-girls-carrasquillo

By Dana Harding

After exceeding expectations last year, the Lady Wildcats hope to build on the program’s previous success. A 16-12 season vaulted the Lady Wildcats all the way to the district final and a shot at perennial heavyweight Walnut Grove.

While the Lady Tigers won the district title 49-39, revenge won’t be on the table this season.

The Lady Wildcats are moving up to Class 2 for the 2016-17 season.

For Verona’s success to continue, third-year head coach Brenton Hyde’s first order of business will be replacing some key components.

Three-year starting point guard Tori Pinkly and starting center Hannah Hilton were lost to graduation; however, the cupboard is far from barren.

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All-conference, do-everything Twilah Carrasquillo returns for her sophomore campaign. The 5’9” guard averaged 11 points and 4.5 assists last season, which may have reminded fans of a certain older sibling.

Older sister Tristan Carrasquillo was an all-state standout for the Lady Wildcats before moving on to play at John Brown University.

Hyde sees some similar traits in the younger Carrasquillo, who was named first team all-conference and will once again help lead the Lady Wildcat attack.

“Tristan was probably a little better scorer,” Hyde said. “Twilah probably has a little better all-around game. She’s a few inches taller and is a little bigger.”

Joining Carrisquillo in the lineup are a pair of returning starters and Verona’s primary reserve last season.

All-conference Nicole Stephenson led the team in points (12.2 ppg), rebounds (6.8 rpg) and 3-point shooting (66) for a second consecutive year. The senior forward is on pace to break 1,000 points for her career at some point this season, according to Hyde.

“Nicole is a great shooter that allows us to spread the floor on other teams,” Hyde said. “She is also a good rebounder with a strong body that gets a lot of points on the offensive boards.”

Rounding out the trio of returning starters is Madison Shrum, a 5’8” senior forward, co-captain and three-year starter for the Lady Wildcats.

Varsity newcomers include sophomore Gwenyth Henson and freshmen Carolina Castillo and Hailee Wilkinson.

While it may take all the working parts time to mesh with one another, Hyde feels Verona’s defense will be a definite early-season focus.

“Our biggest strength is our defense,” Hyde said. “We aren’t a huge team, but we have girls that are all long, athletic and quick. We mix up our defenses well and keep teams off-balance.”

If Verona has an X-factor this season, it could be sophomore center Rita Castillo. Utilized in a sixth-man role as a freshman, Castillo has transitioned into the starting lineup nicely over the summer, according to Hyde.

Castillo’s success starts with floor minutes.

“I know what I’m getting from my returning players each game,” Hyde said. “If she can stay out of foul trouble and provide the defense and rebounding she’s capable of, we will be tough to handle.”

While Verona leaves behind a district bully in Walnut Grove, the Class 2 waters are no less hostile.

The Lady Wildcats share a district with four-time state champion Crane, Miller and Blue Eye, for starters, but Hyde has a plan in mind to get his team where they need to be at the end of the season.

Verona strengthened its schedule this season in anticipation of the new district, adding Wheatland and Cassville. What’s more, rival and defending conference champ Purdy is still out there to challenge Verona’s squad.

“Our biggest obstacle will be incorporating our young players into the varsity game,” Hyde said. “They get to practice against the experienced players every day and, hopefully, they will pick up on what it takes to be a successful varsity player quickly.”

Verona opens the season with jamboree play at Miller with Miller, Hillcrest and New Covenant Academy. The regular season tips Nov. 28 with the start of the Diamond Tournament.

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