By Murray Gleffe
Correspondent
PULASKI — Former Pulaski girls’ basketball coach Jeff Charney helped guide the Red Raiders to a 76-44 record the past five seasons, including a 21-4 mark in his second year at the helm.
Last summer, Charney accepted a new position as an assistant coach for the St. Norbert College women’s team.
Enter Doug McElrone.
McElrone was the head coach at Green Bay East the past three seasons.
He also coached the 16U Purple Aces AAU team in the summer.
“It’s cool to be back at Pulaski,” said McElrone, who coached the Pulaski junior varsity program in 2014. “It has come full circle. [Current Green Bay Preble head coach] Jim Doell gave me my first coaching opportunity at Pulaski. To be back is extremely exciting. I love the small-town feel of Pulaski, and the community takes great pride in being from Pulaski, which I love.”
He will lead a squad which finished 13-11 last year and lost to Notre Dame in a WIAA Division 2 regional final game, 64-60.
Returning players Jasmine Litt and Maggie Hernandez scored 12 and 10 points a game, respectively, for the Red Raiders.
“We are excited to have coach McElrone back in Pulaski,” said athletics director Janel Batten. “Doug brings a love for the game and a passion for helping kids succeed. He has a tremendous background in coaching basketball at various levels.”
The Red Raiders bring back four of their top five scorers from last season.
The Fox River Classic Conference second-team selection Litt averaged also added seven rebounds a game during her junior season.
Besides Hernandez (honorable mention), Sheridan Flauger, Ashlyn Szymanski and Taylor Gilson also return.
“We are a deep team this year,” McElrone said. “Jasmine recently signed with St. Cloud State. She is a versatile post who can play the 3, 4 or 5 positions. Maggie is a tough, hard-nosed player. She can do a little bit of everything and understands the game. Sheridan is a versatile guard. She has come into her own with her shot and court awareness. She also has a great basketball IQ.”
The players have been adjusting to the new offensive and defensive schemes from McElrone.
“We would like to play fast,” said McElrone. “We will run a motion offense. Defensively, we will play a lot of man defense. I feel like I’m a player’s coach. You need to let the kids play. As long as you teach the game the proper way so the athletes can play without questioning what they are doing on a play-by-play basis, the program is better off.”
McElrone lists Bay Port, who won the WIAA Division 1 state title last year, as the favorite in a difficult FRCC.
“I feel the Pirates are the team to beat,” he said. “Preble has two Division 1 players returning, so they will be tough, too. I also feel we have a great shot to compete along with Notre Dame.”
Pulaski girls’ basketball schedule
12/3 – New London – 7:15 p.m.
12/6 – Manitowoc Lincoln
12/10 – Seymour – 7:15 p.m.
12/12 – @ Ashwaubenon
12/17 – De Pere
12/20 – Green Bay Southwest
1/3 – @ Sheboygan South
1/7 – @ Notre Dame Academy
1/10 – Sheboygan North
1/14 – Green Bay Preble
1/17 – @ Bay Port
1/21 – @ Manitowoc Lincoln
1/24 – Ashwaubenon
1/28 – Sheboygan South
1/31 – @ Green Bay Southwest
2/4 – @ De Pere
2/7 – Notre Dame
2/11 – @ Sheboygan North
2/14 – @ Preble
2/20 – Bay Port
Editor’s note: All games begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.