By Rich Palzewic
Sports Editor
GREEN BAY – The Green Bay Southwest girls’ basketball team has one of the best players in the state in senior Jaddan Simmons, but if the Trojans are to take a step up this year, others will have to come forward.
“Jaddan is a great talent,” said first-year head coach Berri West. “The opposing team always focuses on the best player, but that’s where teams falter when they scout you. It allows me to emphasize everybody else’s strengths. I’m putting in an offense that isn’t geared around one player.”
West, who was an assistant coach at Seymour the past three seasons, takes over for the departed Erin Barkley.
“I’m a coach who doesn’t focus on stats,” she said. “We are going to focus on being mindful, our mental health and things outside of basketball so we feel like one unit. I care about what happens to you after you leave my wing. Are you going to learn the things I taught you on the court and be a good person?”
West is a 2002 graduate of Southwest and had previously worked with the basketball youth in the district.
“It’s exciting and feels like I’ve come back home,” she said. “I know the seniors because they were eighth-graders when I left for Seymour. It brings a comfort level knowing many of the players.”
Simmons, who had 18 Division I college scholarship offers, averaged 21.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and three assists per game last year.
The Arizona State University commit was first-team all-state and has 1,410 career points – about 300 away from Natisha Hiedeman’s Green Bay area girls’ record of 1,773.
Simmons scored 42 points in a win over West De Pere Nov. 21.
The Trojans have five other seniors on the roster: Caitlyn Thiel, Kiara Thomas, Bailey Mollen, Jazzy Jackson and Mariah Rauschenbach.
Other players include Madison McFerrin, Lauren LePine, Ashlyn Webster, LaCyia Hill, Eajah Danforth and Naomi House.
“Going into a new season as a new coach, you have one year with the seniors to make sure they succeed, even with the things we are adding,” West said. “We want the seniors to be successful but not forget about everybody else.”
Southwest didn’t lose any players from graduation.
When asked the identity of her team, West gave an unconventional response.
“I hate to look forward,” she laughed. “I go day by day. Most people want me to have goals, but I don’t approach it that way. I want our identity to be however we roll. You can ask me in a month what our identity has been based on the last month.”
West said the strong play in the Fox River Classic Conference will help her squad in the long run.
“It might seem scary walking into a strong conference, but it’s preparation for us,” she said. “If we were the best team in our conference for decades, I wouldn’t like it. Early losses are excellent – I’m not scared of the competition. I’m excited to throw our team into the mix.”
Green Bay Southwest girls’ basketball schedule
12/6 – @ De Pere
12/12 – Notre Dame Academy
12/17 – @ Green Bay Preble
12/20 – @ Pulaski
12/30 – @ Luxemburg-Casco
1/3 – Ashwaubenon
1/7 – Sheboygan South
1/9 – @ Manitowoc Lincoln
1/14 – Bay Port
1/17 – @ Sheboygan North
1/18 – @ Notre Dame
1/21 – West Iron County (Michigan)
1/28 – @ Ashwaubenon
1/31 – @ Pulaski
2/4 – Preble
2/7 – @ Sheboygan South
2/11 – Manitowoc
2/14 – @ Bay Port
2/18 – De Pere
2/20 – Sheboygan North
Editor’s note: All games begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.