Jaguar Girls Basketball Preview

By Murray Gleffe, Correspondent

ASHWAUBENON-The Jaguar girl’s basketball team is coming off a 16-8 mark, which included marquee wins over the likes of Sheboygan North, Algoma, Notre Dame, Bay Port, and Pulaski (twice).

Expectations are even higher in 2017-18 with the return of 80% of its offense, ten returnees, and all five starters.

Head Coach Nicky Van Laanen, ” Our program is very excited for the season to start! Having our five starters back has helped with the quality of tryout practices and intensity in the gym from our first practice. They have led the underclassmen on how to work and do things the right way. Now that this is the start of year four for our staff, we are even more excited about having the fundamentals in place to have success at all three levels of high school and youth play. The quality of girls basketball in this area is tremendous.”

The Jaguars averaged 54.2 PPG last year and gave up 44.3 in finishing third in the FRCC (12-6) behind Bay Port and De Pere.

The Jaguars rode a lot of momentum down the stretch last year winning four of their last five games, and it should prepare them to shoot out of the gates from the start with a senior laden bunch.

“The key to our year is going to be our ability to handle physical play, defensive intensity, and the contributions of our bench players,” adds Van Laanen.

Senior point forward, Autumn Schlader led the balanced attack with an 11.2 points per game average.

Junior Maddie Koch returns to hold the fort down in the middle of the paint. Koch was the only other double-digit scorer at 10.5 PPG in 2016-17.