Losses Leave Valley In Limbo
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Two words. That's all Mike Walters needed when asked to assess his girls' basketball team this season.
"Very inexperienced," he said.
How true.
Having one starter (Kara Tucker) returning from the starting five on last year's sectional team makes the 1996-1997 Vikings inexperienced.
Having only three players (Tucker, Sondrea Hamilton, Kelly Walters) on the varsity roster who have played major varsity minutes in the past is what makes them very inexperienced.
Gone are juniors Samantha Wideman and Tiffany Glingle, who transferred to other schools. Gone is junior Andria Parker, who did not transfer but chose not to play basketball this season. All three played on the varsity team as sophomores.
Starting this year for Valley will be Tucker (point guard), Brandi Fisher (shooting guard), Bonnie Bickel (forward), Walters (forward) and Hamilton (center).
"Neither (Bickel or Walters) carries much size or weight, but both are leapers," Walters said.
Hamilton, who is 5-10, is Valley's only starter taller than 5-8.
"We have to use our quickness," Walters said. "We plan on making it a full-court game. We can't go down and set up in a half-court (offense) all the time. Hopefully, we can run a good half-court offense, but we have to get points off of turnovers if we're going to be successful.
"The main thing that will be the key for us is rebounding. Outside of Sondrea Hamilton, we have nobody who is a physical player. She has some experience. She has to be our enforcer inside. We won't be more physical than anyone we face this year."
Hamilton had foot surgery, but she surprised everybody with her recovery time.
"She'd tell you she's 100 percent, and she'll give 100 percent, but I'd say she's 80 percent," Walters said. "She was actually just supposed to be starting to practice right now. She's way ahead of schedule."
Rhonda Doud and Julie Shaw will probably be the first two off the bench, but Walters will rely on all of his players. Offensively, he wants his team to push the ball up the floor, play up-tempo basketball. Defensively, he plans to use a full-court press.
"We'll have to go nine to 10 people deep," he said. "If we want to have a full-court game and keep fresh people in there, we'll have to make it that way. It shouldn't be any different than it was last year.
"Depth-wise, we should be alright."
The team chemistry on this team should also be alright. Walters seems to enjoy the challenge that lies ahead with this team, although he realizes he must replace 25 points and 17 rebounds, the numbers that Angie Zolman (graduated), Wideman and Parker combined for.
"You'd like to think one year you're building for the next year," Walters said. "We lost a lot of points per game in those people who aren't playing this year. It hurts us that way.
"But I also look at it the way our girls are able to come out and the attitude they have. That makes a lot of difference also.
"It is a lot of fun being at practice with the girls now. I will say that. I don't know how many games we will win. It will be a fun bunch to watch. As far as prediction of games, I don't know. A lot of that depends on how quick we grow up."
Walters was asked what he liked most about this team.
"Work ethic," he said.
Two words were all he needed.
1996-1997 Valley Roster
Name Pos. Ht. Yr.
Jenny Day G 5-4 11
Rhonda Doud G 5-6 10
Malinda Parker G 5-5 11
Brandi Fisher G 5-8 11
Kelly Walters F 5-7 11
Heather Wilcox F 5-8 12
Bonnie Bickel F 5-7 11
Brooke Fisher C 5-9 10
Corrine Law F 5-6 11
Julie Shaw F 5-6 12
Kara Tucker G 5-8 12
Sondrea Hamilton C 5-10 12
1996-1997 Valley schedule
Nov. 14 at Bremen
Nov. 22 at Warsaw
Nov. 30 THANKSGIVING CLASSIC
Dec. 5 at North Miami
Dec. 11 CASTON
Dec. 14 VALPARAISO
Dec. 16 TRITON
Dec. 18 at Winamac
Dec. 28 CULVER
Jan. 7 at North Judson
Jan. 9 at Southwood
Jan. 13 OAK HILL
Jan. 16 WAWASEE
Jan. 20 at Rochester
Jan. 23 MANCHESTER
Jan. 28 at Whitko
Jan. 30 NORTHFIELD [[In-content Ad]]
Two words. That's all Mike Walters needed when asked to assess his girls' basketball team this season.
"Very inexperienced," he said.
How true.
Having one starter (Kara Tucker) returning from the starting five on last year's sectional team makes the 1996-1997 Vikings inexperienced.
Having only three players (Tucker, Sondrea Hamilton, Kelly Walters) on the varsity roster who have played major varsity minutes in the past is what makes them very inexperienced.
Gone are juniors Samantha Wideman and Tiffany Glingle, who transferred to other schools. Gone is junior Andria Parker, who did not transfer but chose not to play basketball this season. All three played on the varsity team as sophomores.
Starting this year for Valley will be Tucker (point guard), Brandi Fisher (shooting guard), Bonnie Bickel (forward), Walters (forward) and Hamilton (center).
"Neither (Bickel or Walters) carries much size or weight, but both are leapers," Walters said.
Hamilton, who is 5-10, is Valley's only starter taller than 5-8.
"We have to use our quickness," Walters said. "We plan on making it a full-court game. We can't go down and set up in a half-court (offense) all the time. Hopefully, we can run a good half-court offense, but we have to get points off of turnovers if we're going to be successful.
"The main thing that will be the key for us is rebounding. Outside of Sondrea Hamilton, we have nobody who is a physical player. She has some experience. She has to be our enforcer inside. We won't be more physical than anyone we face this year."
Hamilton had foot surgery, but she surprised everybody with her recovery time.
"She'd tell you she's 100 percent, and she'll give 100 percent, but I'd say she's 80 percent," Walters said. "She was actually just supposed to be starting to practice right now. She's way ahead of schedule."
Rhonda Doud and Julie Shaw will probably be the first two off the bench, but Walters will rely on all of his players. Offensively, he wants his team to push the ball up the floor, play up-tempo basketball. Defensively, he plans to use a full-court press.
"We'll have to go nine to 10 people deep," he said. "If we want to have a full-court game and keep fresh people in there, we'll have to make it that way. It shouldn't be any different than it was last year.
"Depth-wise, we should be alright."
The team chemistry on this team should also be alright. Walters seems to enjoy the challenge that lies ahead with this team, although he realizes he must replace 25 points and 17 rebounds, the numbers that Angie Zolman (graduated), Wideman and Parker combined for.
"You'd like to think one year you're building for the next year," Walters said. "We lost a lot of points per game in those people who aren't playing this year. It hurts us that way.
"But I also look at it the way our girls are able to come out and the attitude they have. That makes a lot of difference also.
"It is a lot of fun being at practice with the girls now. I will say that. I don't know how many games we will win. It will be a fun bunch to watch. As far as prediction of games, I don't know. A lot of that depends on how quick we grow up."
Walters was asked what he liked most about this team.
"Work ethic," he said.
Two words were all he needed.
1996-1997 Valley Roster
Name Pos. Ht. Yr.
Jenny Day G 5-4 11
Rhonda Doud G 5-6 10
Malinda Parker G 5-5 11
Brandi Fisher G 5-8 11
Kelly Walters F 5-7 11
Heather Wilcox F 5-8 12
Bonnie Bickel F 5-7 11
Brooke Fisher C 5-9 10
Corrine Law F 5-6 11
Julie Shaw F 5-6 12
Kara Tucker G 5-8 12
Sondrea Hamilton C 5-10 12
1996-1997 Valley schedule
Nov. 14 at Bremen
Nov. 22 at Warsaw
Nov. 30 THANKSGIVING CLASSIC
Dec. 5 at North Miami
Dec. 11 CASTON
Dec. 14 VALPARAISO
Dec. 16 TRITON
Dec. 18 at Winamac
Dec. 28 CULVER
Jan. 7 at North Judson
Jan. 9 at Southwood
Jan. 13 OAK HILL
Jan. 16 WAWASEE
Jan. 20 at Rochester
Jan. 23 MANCHESTER
Jan. 28 at Whitko
Jan. 30 NORTHFIELD [[In-content Ad]]