By Tyler Thompson (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Seneca Lady Indians basketball program authored a 20-8 record last season and fell one win shy of a district championship.
But, that was last season, and the Indians have since said goodbye to graduates Taylor Mailes and Sarah Hoover: Mailes was first team all-conference (10 points per game) and Hoover (eight points per game) was named honorable mention.
However, the team returns two starters: sophomore Aliya GrotJohn (10 points per game) and senior Chelsea Beville (five points per game): the duo accounted for 31 percent of the team’s offense last season.
Other returnees include: junior Makayla French and senior Haley Nash.
Seniors Emily Brattin, Mylea Schlessman, and Madison Dunbar did not play varsity last year but figure to be a pivotal piece of this year’s on-court product.
With youth comes adversity, and third-year Lady Indians head coach Drew Schulte says he expects some early bumps in the road, but having the aforementioned players will make the process more seamless as the calendar rolls over to conference play in January.
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“We have two returning starters, two returners from last year. So I think we have one of three seniors (Nash) who can fill that starting role (fifth position),” Schulte said. “After that, we are pretty young. We have some players who will have to step up this year, but I think they can do the job. They are just going to have to work hard at it. As long as we stay positive and work hard, I think we will be fine.”
With the expansion to a two-division conference in 2018, the Big 8 West continues to heat up on the hardwood.
Added Schulte: “The conference is wide open to anybody. And I think our conference (West), Nevada didn’t lose too much. But I look at it as a challenge. Every year, somebody is always at the top. You still have to show up and play your best basketball; if you don’t you aren’t going to win. Any night you can get beat. I believe it is a strong conference (and) anything can happen.”
The GrotJohn basketball bloodline is thick in Seneca, with Aliya and her brother, Isaiah, both suiting up for the Indians.
Schulte said another offseason will simply benefit GrotJohn as she takes another step forward as a ball-handler and leader.
“She is good. She is going to be one of our ball-handlers,” Schulte said. “I am not going to throw anything heavy on her shoulders. I want my girls stress-free. She may have more responsibilities this year, but she is just a sophomore, and it’s great. I will have her for two more years. She is still learning and was involved with a good group last year.”
The other ball-handler looking to evolve this winter is French.
“She has had varsity experience, and they will share the basketball,” Schulte said of the GrotJohn-French tandem.
While youth looks to carry on the tradition in the coming years, the Indians have a nice mixture of balance returning experience — assets in which Schulte welcomes with open arms.
“[Chelsea] Beville, she is one of our three year returning starters. She does a great job and can shoot the ball really well. She rebounds well. As far as being a senior leader, I look for her and [Hayley] Nash,” Schulte said.
After road trips to Diamond (Dec. 10) and Purdy (Dec. 12), the girls host Joplin Dec. 20 for the home opener.
