By Rich Palzewic
Sports Editor
GREEN BAY – The Green Bay Preble girls’ basketball team has two first-team all-conference starters returning this season.
The Hornets, who gave defending Division 1 state champ Bay Port its only loss last year, are led by senior Kendall Renard and junior Carley Duffney.
Renard, a UW-Green Bay commit, and Duffney, a South Dakota University verbal commit, will look to propel Preble deeper into the postseason in 2020.
“Carley and Kendall came into the season in great shape,” said head coach Jim Doell, who was the Fox River Classic Conference coach of the year a season ago. “They did their own individual workouts, and they’re more athletic and have better skill sets. They didn’t level off – they came to camp better.”
The 6-foot-3 Renard averaged 17.8 points and 11.5 rebounds a contest her junior year.
“Kendall gives us great rebounding,” said Doell. “She was the top rebounder in the conference by far. I tell her, ‘If you don’t rebound well, you don’t play well.’ She has bought into that.”
The 6-foot Duffney, who committed to South Dakota over UWGB, averaged 18.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists a game her sophomore year.
She shot nearly 80 percent from the free-throw line and 54 percent from the field.
“Carley’s talent is getting to the basket,” Doell said. “She has a quick first step and has worked on finishing when she gets a second defender. She also worked on her outside shot, so you will see more three-point shooting from her.”
Junior Ella Biakowski (8.5 points per game) is the next top-scoring returnee for the Hornets, who finished 16-2 in the FRCC and 20-4 overall last season.
Preble lost four seniors to graduation: Hannah Beauchamp, Dakota Mendez, Abby Winzenried and Amanda Kugel.
The foursome averaged about four points a game last year.
“Hannah was a starter who will be difficult to replace,” said Doell. “She was quick and athletic, and she allowed us to play a certain style. We have to compete a little differently this year – use our size. We have some six-footers this year. We might even play some zone defensively. If we want to play up-tempo, everyone has to run the floor.”
Doell said Bay Port will again be a top favorite in a competitive FRCC.
“The conference will be solid from top to bottom,” Doell said. “There won’t be many off nights. There will be kids playing lots of minutes. There’s a lot of talent in the conference and some strong Division I players.”
The Hornets and Pirates will square off in the first FRCC game of the season at Bay Port High School Dec. 6.
“The girls have set lofty goals this year,” said Doell. “They will work hard, and we have strong leadership on the team. We overachieved a bit last season. The Dec. 6 game will set a tone for the conference and let everyone know who they are shooting for.”
Green Bay Preble girls’ basketball schedule
11/26 – West De Pere
11/30 – @ Hortonville – 7:30
12/6 – @ Bay Port
12/10 – Notre Dame Academy
12/12 – Manitowoc Lincoln
12/17 – Green Bay Southwest
12/20 – @ Cedarburg Invitational – 5:45 p.m.
12/21 – @ Cedarburg Invitational – 5:45 p.m.
1/3 – @ De Pere
1/7 – @ Sheboygan North
1/10 – Ashwaubenon
1/14 – @ Pulaski
1/17 – Sheboygan South
1/21 – Bay Port
1/24 – @ Manitowoc
1/28 – De Pere
1/31 – @ Notre Dame
2/4 – @ Green Bay Southwest
2/7 – Sheboygan North
2/11 – @ Ashwaubenon
2/14 – Pulaski
2/20 – @ Sheboygan South
Editor’s note: All games begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.