Kindig Predicts High Upside For Valley Girls
December 3, 2020 at 10:29 p.m.
Kindig Predicts High Upside For Valley Girls
By Steve Krah-
“Based on our scrimmage and first game, we have a high upside,” says Kindig, the 11th-year head girls basketball coach at Tippecanoe Valley High School. “But with the lack of an off-season (because of COVID-19 restrictions during the spring and summer), we’re long way from where we’re going to be.
“We have a lot of room for growth.”
Valley opened the 2020-21 season on the road Nov. 5 with a 50-45 against Bremen. The Lady Vikings used a starting combination for seniors Sidney Wagner, Hayley Backus and Ashley Butler with sophomores Kaydence Melott and Corrina Stiles.
Wagner, the Times-Union Player of the Year in 2019-20, continued her stat-stuffer ways with 16 points, nine steals, seven rebounds and five assists while running the point for Valley.
“It was a typical night,” says Kindig of Wagner. “She gets other players involved by penetrating and kicking for us.”
Kindig is relying on his seniors to provide leadership and to help with communication and helping teammates understand what the Vikings are trying to do schematically.
“(Backus) does a pretty good job of finishing around the basket,” says Kindig. “We want to get her to be mobile so we have an inside presence.”
Kindig says Backus is getting better at choosing her spots to block shots while avoiding foul trouble.
The 5-4 Butler is viewed as more of a defensive specialist who also helps underclassmen understand the offense and defense as well as the team culture.
A year ago, Valley went 16-7 overall and 7-2 in the Three Rivers Conference (tying Northfield and Rochester for first place).
Top returning scorers are 5-foot-7 Wagner (17.2 points per game), 5-8 Mellott (10.2) and 6-1 Backus (6.9). Wagner (8.0) and Backus (6.4) pace in rebounds. Wagner is first in assists (5.0) and steals (4.0).
Mellott buried 49 3-pointers in 2019-20 while Wagner canned 18.
“Kaydence is definitely an outside threat,” says Kindig. “But she’s able to do other things. We’ve seen improvement in her defense and learning how to get open. She’s become much better in shooting off the dribble.
“She’s also a very good free throw shooter.”
The 5-8 Mellott shot 75 percent from the stripe and Wagner 61 last year and Kindig would like to see his best foul shooters get more opportunities this season.
Stiles, who played primarily on the junior varsity last season, is able to play several positions and is a proficient outside shooter.
“She’s active around the basketball and can become one of our defensive stoppers,” says Kindig of the 5-11 Stiles. “Hopefully she can give us some double-doubles (scoring and rebounding).”
At this point, Valley goes about seven deep with perimeter shooters 5-5 Ault and 5-3 Holloway — both sophomores — in the mix.
The varsity roster also features 5-11 junior Mercedes Snapp, 5-3 sophomore Molly Moriarty and 5-8 freshman Macy Peterson.
“Who’s going to be that 8 or 9?,” says Kindig. “We’re looking for quality minutes when people get in foul trouble.”
Since taking over the Vikings program, Kindig has preferred a team that can press and push the pace. How much the team will be able to do that depends on the quality of ball handling, the ability of interior players to run the floor and fast-break passing.
“We’d like to play full-court or half-court pressure defense as well,” says Kindig.
In a normal June, Valley would be able to travel to tournaments out of the area and get in up to 20 games while identifying roles and building team chemistry. That didn’t happen this year.
“We’re not the only one was in that position,” says Kindig. “There’s room for improvement. I think we will as we get more familiar with each other.”
Valley’s home opener is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 10 against Culver Academy.
For years, the Vikings have hosted a holiday tournament around Thanksgiving time. With a team backing out, additions to the schedule include Northwestern (3A state champions in 2017-18 and 2018-19 and 4A state runners-up in 2019-20) and Oregon-Davis (34-14 with a 1A sectional title over the past two seasons).
Valley students were in eLearning a week before fall break and are currently meeting for in-person classes.
“Things are so fluid (with COVID-19),” says Kindig. “We’re just going to have to be very flexible. It’s not going to be a typical schedule in any fashion.
“Everybody understands that we’re blessed to be able to play from day to day and take it one day at a time.”
For the second year, Kindig’s assistants are Thadd Mellott (varsity) and Tiffany Krotke (JV).
“Based on our scrimmage and first game, we have a high upside,” says Kindig, the 11th-year head girls basketball coach at Tippecanoe Valley High School. “But with the lack of an off-season (because of COVID-19 restrictions during the spring and summer), we’re long way from where we’re going to be.
“We have a lot of room for growth.”
Valley opened the 2020-21 season on the road Nov. 5 with a 50-45 against Bremen. The Lady Vikings used a starting combination for seniors Sidney Wagner, Hayley Backus and Ashley Butler with sophomores Kaydence Melott and Corrina Stiles.
Wagner, the Times-Union Player of the Year in 2019-20, continued her stat-stuffer ways with 16 points, nine steals, seven rebounds and five assists while running the point for Valley.
“It was a typical night,” says Kindig of Wagner. “She gets other players involved by penetrating and kicking for us.”
Kindig is relying on his seniors to provide leadership and to help with communication and helping teammates understand what the Vikings are trying to do schematically.
“(Backus) does a pretty good job of finishing around the basket,” says Kindig. “We want to get her to be mobile so we have an inside presence.”
Kindig says Backus is getting better at choosing her spots to block shots while avoiding foul trouble.
The 5-4 Butler is viewed as more of a defensive specialist who also helps underclassmen understand the offense and defense as well as the team culture.
A year ago, Valley went 16-7 overall and 7-2 in the Three Rivers Conference (tying Northfield and Rochester for first place).
Top returning scorers are 5-foot-7 Wagner (17.2 points per game), 5-8 Mellott (10.2) and 6-1 Backus (6.9). Wagner (8.0) and Backus (6.4) pace in rebounds. Wagner is first in assists (5.0) and steals (4.0).
Mellott buried 49 3-pointers in 2019-20 while Wagner canned 18.
“Kaydence is definitely an outside threat,” says Kindig. “But she’s able to do other things. We’ve seen improvement in her defense and learning how to get open. She’s become much better in shooting off the dribble.
“She’s also a very good free throw shooter.”
The 5-8 Mellott shot 75 percent from the stripe and Wagner 61 last year and Kindig would like to see his best foul shooters get more opportunities this season.
Stiles, who played primarily on the junior varsity last season, is able to play several positions and is a proficient outside shooter.
“She’s active around the basketball and can become one of our defensive stoppers,” says Kindig of the 5-11 Stiles. “Hopefully she can give us some double-doubles (scoring and rebounding).”
At this point, Valley goes about seven deep with perimeter shooters 5-5 Ault and 5-3 Holloway — both sophomores — in the mix.
The varsity roster also features 5-11 junior Mercedes Snapp, 5-3 sophomore Molly Moriarty and 5-8 freshman Macy Peterson.
“Who’s going to be that 8 or 9?,” says Kindig. “We’re looking for quality minutes when people get in foul trouble.”
Since taking over the Vikings program, Kindig has preferred a team that can press and push the pace. How much the team will be able to do that depends on the quality of ball handling, the ability of interior players to run the floor and fast-break passing.
“We’d like to play full-court or half-court pressure defense as well,” says Kindig.
In a normal June, Valley would be able to travel to tournaments out of the area and get in up to 20 games while identifying roles and building team chemistry. That didn’t happen this year.
“We’re not the only one was in that position,” says Kindig. “There’s room for improvement. I think we will as we get more familiar with each other.”
Valley’s home opener is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 10 against Culver Academy.
For years, the Vikings have hosted a holiday tournament around Thanksgiving time. With a team backing out, additions to the schedule include Northwestern (3A state champions in 2017-18 and 2018-19 and 4A state runners-up in 2019-20) and Oregon-Davis (34-14 with a 1A sectional title over the past two seasons).
Valley students were in eLearning a week before fall break and are currently meeting for in-person classes.
“Things are so fluid (with COVID-19),” says Kindig. “We’re just going to have to be very flexible. It’s not going to be a typical schedule in any fashion.
“Everybody understands that we’re blessed to be able to play from day to day and take it one day at a time.”
For the second year, Kindig’s assistants are Thadd Mellott (varsity) and Tiffany Krotke (JV).
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