Scott County Central girls basketball team returns experience in 2015-16

Scott County Central girls coach Matt Limbaugh has plenty of optimism after a 6-18 season.

His first two years at the school ended with district titles, and the Bravettes made a gallant attempt at three straight even in what was a rebuilding season in 2014-15.

Despite a team that featured just one senior and one returning starter from the district title team of a year earlier, SCC found itself trailing a 20-win Chaffee team by only one point at halftime in the Class 2 District title game.

"From the very beginning to the very end, we showed a lot of improvement, and made it to the championship against a good Chaffee team and stayed with them for a half and just couldn't sustain it, but we were playing with mostly freshmen," Limbaugh said. "It was promising to see the improvements and hopefully carry that into this season."

The Bravettes established a fixture for the future in Johneisha Daniel, who averaged 17.4 points and 12.5 rebounds per game as a freshman.

She was among four freshmen and three sophomores on last year's squad, and the group will be joined by a couple of newcomers in freshman guards Trinity Thomas and Hannah Bode this year.

"We're going to ask our freshmen to mature quick," Limbaugh said. "There are always ups and downs when you rely on youth, but I feel these freshmen have accepted the challenge and worked hard so far. I'm excited to see how they respond."

Thomas will direct the offense from the point until sophomore Hailey Kesler, the team's second-leading scorer last year, returns from a broken foot.

"We hope to have her back by New Year's some time," Limbaugh said about Kesler.

Junior Maddison Avance, a three-year starter, will add some seasoned leadership for the squad and some offensive punch. Daniel, Kesler and Avance combined for all but four of the Bravetttes' points in the season-ending 63-49 loss to Chaffee.

"We'll try to have our defense create a lot of points," Limbaugh said. "We're going to try to bank on that. A lot of turnovers, a lot of steals and fastbreaks. Hopefully our defense translates into a lot of offense for us."

The Bravettes will top out with Daniel at 5-foot-10, who is likely to attract a lot of attention down low. Limbaugh said Avance plays taller than her 5-6 frame, but is looking for his team to rely more on its overall quickness and speed, and also is hoping senior small forward LaQuisha Strickland, who transferred in as sophomore and didn't play as a junior, can provide some outside shooting.

"I'm excited to see who steps up and becomes that kind of knock-down shooter to expand out a zone," Limbaugh said. "If they try to focus on Maddie and Johneisha down low, we're going to need somebody to step up and hit that shot, so I'm looking forward to [somebody doing that]. Hailey Kesler was that person last year, and we'll be looking for someone to step up in her role."

While Limbaugh is uncertain exactly where the points may come from, he is certain that defense will determine the ultimate fate of his team.

"We've got to get up and guard if we want to get up in contention," Limbaugh said. "We've got to get in a stance and we've got to play some defense because our offense is not strong enough to win ballgames. We have to rely on our defense to pick up some points and keep the momentum on our side."

Players to watch

Daniel announced herself loudly last year as both a scorer and rebounder. She also shot 48 percent from field while earning-first-team all-conference and all-district honors.

Avance is also capable of doing damage down in the post area, averaging 8.0 ppg and 4.9 rpg as a sophomore.

"We'll try to use Joneisha and Maddy as much as possible through our offense, and take advantage of that, and just try to work on our defense," Limbaugh said.

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Class 2 District 1

Conference

Scott-Mississippi

Head coach

Matt Limbaugh

(4th year)

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ROSTER

Player Year

Arista Johnson 12

Chelsea Phillips 12

LaQuisha Strickland 12

Maddison Avance 11

Brittany Marshall 11

Johneisha Daniel 10

Shanice Gipson 10

Hailey Kesler 10

Brianna Ketchum 10

Hannah Bode 9

Natalie Hubbert 9

Macy Scherer 9

LaTeisha Strickland 9

Trinity Thomas 9

Alexis Williams 9

Allison Williams 9

STARTERS GONE

Ziaire Davis

STARTERS BACK

Maddison Avance

Johneisha Daniel

Hailey Kesler

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SCHEDULE

Date Opponent Time

11/20 St. Paul Lutheran 8 p.m.

11/23 @South Pemiscot 7:30 p.m.

11/24 Oran 8:30 p.m.

11/30 Perryville 7:30 p.m.

12/2 @Sikeston 6 p.m.

12/3 Hayti 7:30 p.m.

12/7 New Madrid CC 7:30 p.m.

12/14 @Chaffee 7:30 p.m.

12/19 Delta 1 p.m.

1/4 Delta New Years Inv. Tourn.

1/11 Scott-Mississippi Conf. Tourn.

1/19 @East Prairie 7:30 p.m.

1/21 Scott City 7:30 p.m.

1/25 @Woodland 7:30 p.m.

1/27 Meridian (Ill.) 7:30 p.m.

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

2/2 Naylor 7:30 p.m.

2/4 Caruthersville 7:30 p.m.

2/8 @Charleston 7:30 p.m.

2/15 Kelly 7:30 p.m.

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LAST SEASON

LEADERS

Points: Johneisha Daniel (17.4 ppg)

Rebounds: Daniel (12.5 rpg)

Assists: Hailey Kesler (3.6 apg)

RECORD

6-18