Kelly girls basketball team hopes chemistry, fundamentals can carry team in 2015-16

It's not easy to replace a graduating class of nine seniors -- that kind of attrition is difficult for any program to handle. Kelly girls basketball will try to overcome that hurdle with a mix of strong chemistry and fundamental basketball as it attempts to follow up an 18-7 season from a year ago.

"Right now, our main goal is to have a positive attitude, play hard and play as a team," longtime coach Rod McQuerter said. "Those are our three main goals every day and every year."

Two of those nine seniors were key starters, in Tessa Johnson and Stephanie Worth. The good news is that a lot of girls saw playing time, and three with a lot of it are back in the fold -- Tori Duenne, Emily Bolen and Anna Hughes.

McQuerter likes his returning group because of things going on behind the scenes and off the court, not just on it. Sports are supposed to be fun, and the coach believes this team will be.

"The main thing I'm excited about with this team is they're very good with their attitude," McQuerter said. "They work hard and they like each other. I like being around them and they're a great joy to coach this year.

"They love playing for each other and sacrificing and that's our main strength. Most people focus on skills like shooting and ball-handling, but we focus on attitude, and I think that carries on to the floor. If you love each other off the court you'll like each other on it."

That approach has worked for the Hawks before, and this year the tone will be set by a senior group of Duenne, Bethany Knight and Allysin Holifield that McQuerter says has done a great job of leading so far.

On the court, Kelly is going to keep things simple. The goal isn't to out-think opponents, but to out-execute them, performing the most basic functions of the game well.

"Defensively, we want to stick to the basic fundamentals -- stop the opposing team from scoring," McQuerter said. "Offensively, we keep it very simple. The goal is to put the ball in the basket. ... We just work on the basics -- passing, shooting, rebounding and defending. If you keep it simple, good things will happen."

Players to watch

McQuerter doesn't believe he has any particular standout players as individuals, but he is going to rely on his senior group to lead the way, and one returning starter is an upperclassman -- Duenne. Whether or not she leads the team from a statistical standpoint, her experience will be critical.

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Class 3 District 2

Conference

Scott-Mississippi

Head coach

Rod McQuerter

(18th year)

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ROSTER

No. Player Year

1 Bethany Knight 12

2 Hunter Bryant 10

3 Lauren Wadlington 10

4 Emmy Bolen 11

5 Tori Duenne 12

6 Mallory Urhahn 10

7 Lynsey Powers 9

8 Jaci Crank 9

9 Alyssa Tidwell 9

10 Taylor Crank 10

11 Anna Goering 8

12 Marissa Worth 10

13 Marissa Jones 10

14 Hailey Noon 10

15 Allie Holifield 12

16 Anna Hughes 11

STARTERS GONE

Tessa Johnson

Stephanie Worth

Logan Ivie

STARTERS BACK

Tori Duenne

Emily Bolen

Anna Hughes

Allie Holifield

Bethany Knight

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SCHEDULE

Date Opponent Time

12/3 @Malden 7:30 p.m.

12/7 Lady Devil Invitational

12/14 @East Prairie 7 p.m.

12/15 @Portageville 6 p.m.

12/17 Twin Rivers Christmas Tourn.

1/4 Chaffee 7:30 p.m.

1/7 Meridian (Ill.) 6 p.m.

1/11 Scott-Mississippi Conf. Tourn.

1/18 Scott City 7:30 p.m.

1/19 Campbell 7:30 p.m.

1/21 Puxico 6 p.m.

1/25 Kennett 6 p.m.

1/28 @Oran 7:30 p.m.

2/1 Charleston 6 p.m.

2/11 @New Madrid CC 7:30 p.m.

2/15 @Scott Co. Central 7:30 p.m.

2/18 Delta 6 p.m.

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LAST SEASON

LEADERS

Points: Tessa Johnson (13 ppg)

Rebounds: Logan Ivie (8 rpg)

RECORD

18-7