By Chris Parker
Developing new scoring options will be a key goal for Reeds Spring girls basketball entering the 2022-23 season.
“We graduated a large portion of our offense last year,” said Reeds Spring head coach Jessica McNichols. “We will have to focus on creating opportunities for high-percentage shots and improve in creating scoring opportunities and open shots.”
Junior Harley Watson is the team’s leading returning scorer. She averaged 6.2 points per game as a sophomore while pulling down 5.1 rebounds per game.
“She (Watson) returns the most on-court experience. She has played significant varsity minutes since her freshmen year,” McNichols said. “Harley is one of our hardest workers. She never takes a rep off. She pushes herself and her teammates to get better each day.”
Watson and senior Brithny Saucedo-Longoria will be the team’s leaders. Saucedo-Longoria scored 3.7 ppg last season.
“When she (Saucedo-Longoria) speaks, people listen,” McNichols said. “Her teammates respect her and know how selfless she is. She will have a lot of backcourt responsibilities this season. She is also a tenacious defender and gives us a spark.”
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Senior Meadow Phillips along with sophomores Avery Sadler and Hannah Witt all saw action in a majority of last season’s varsity games.
McNichols on Phillips: “She is a solid role player that her teammates can always count on.”
McNichols on Sadler: “One of the hardest working kids you will ever meet and has a never give up attitude.”
McNichols on Witt: “Role player expected to rebound and play good defense.”
Riley Sadler (senior), Mariah Geniuk (senior), Dahlia Brand (junior), Kylie Fitzwater (freshman) and Kaylee Genuik (freshman) will be varsity newcomers this season.
McNichols on Sadler: “She is back after taking her junior year off. She gives us height and rebounding that we have been missing. She works hard at all she does and we anticipate her and Mariah making a significant impact this season.”
McNichols on Mariah Geniuk: “This will be her first season with us, but her summer showed she should make an immediate impact in scoring, rebounding, and basketball IQ.”
McNichols on Brand: “She is back after taking her sophomore year off. She played an important varsity role as a freshmen and we are excited to see her back.”
McNichols on Fitzwater: “She brings confidence with the ball. She is fearless on defense and with the ball in the back court. She will bring speed and athleticism to our guard spots.”
McNichols on Kalyee Genuik: “She is one of the most athletic kids on our team. She reads the ball extremely well on defense. She will also be helping with some backcourt responsibilities.”
Summer workouts proved fruitful for the Lady Wolves with so many new roles to define.
“Our biggest strength with this team is that we had a lot of time together this summer to start putting some pieces together,” McNichols said. “With the addition of some new faces, we know we have a long way to go, but we are excited about the energy and hard work our kids have put in.”
Reeds Spring opens the season Nov. 28 through Dec. 3 at the Blue Eye tournament.
