Duggins' Return Gives Boost To Lady 'Cats
January 29, 2018 at 6:32 p.m.
By Mark [email protected]
Duggins played in the season opener, then had a medical procedure done that left her sidelined until the Jan. 6 game with Rochester. Bragg said she made the team better as soon as she was able to retake the floor.
“Emi brings some tangible and intangible benefits to our team,” Bragg said. “Since her return, our offensive point production has increased dramatically. We’re not giving up as many wide open layups as a result of turnovers when teams press us, so her defensive presence has helped us.
“Her presence gives us some depth, even though she’s just one more person. We played several games when she was out with five players. She is a natural leader, so her presence in practice was immediately noticed.”
Whitko begins play at the 2A Central Noble Sectional around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday night against Prairie Heights.
With a win, the Lady Wildcats will play in Friday’s second semifinal against the host Lady Cougars.
The championship game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday.
The presence of Duggins made life a lot easier for classmate Ellie Snep. According to MaxPreps, Snep ranks 25th in the country and No. 1 in Indiana Class 2A at 15.7 rebounds per game, and the junior now owns the school rebounding record previously held by current assistant coach Emily Bidwell. Snep also averages better than 10 points a game.
Snep and Duggins have played together for many years, and Snep pitched while Duggins caught on Whitko’s semistate runner-up softball team.
“Ellie and Emi are best friends on and off the court. They are catcher and pitcher in softball. Emi back in the lineup has eased the need for Ellie to be our main offensive threat,” said Bragg. “The two have played sports together for years and have an understanding of each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”
Seniors Taylor Reiff and Anna Ousley, and juniors Lizz Foutz, Sarah Hewitt and Kayla Schipper have been mainstays for the Lady Wildcats this season. Even though this season hasn’t been anywhere near as successful as the previous three, it hasn’t kept Whitko from playing as hard as it can, night-in, night-out.
“If we throw out the injury toll throughout the season as a variable, one of the goals I had established was that we would play hard,” said Bragg, who took over for Brandon Bradley in the summer. “I wanted to develop a mentality that we will outwork our opponent. My philosophical approach has always been that those parts of the game are based on will, desire, and athleticism.”
Bragg wants his players to work toward not having to endure another tough season like the 2017-18 campaign.
“The other components of the game require basketball skill – decision making, dribbling, passing, shooting, etc. Unfortunately, there was not a mindset developing fundamentally sound and skilled basketball players prior to my arrival,” he said.
“These skills take more than a year to develop. These skills must be practiced and repeated in the offseason. I have already challenged the kids to commit to an offseason shooting and ball handling regiment. If the desire is there for all of our kids to improve, they will show up this spring, summer and fall, and we will see the benefits of improved basketball skills when the 2018-19 season begins.
“On paper, we will return our top four or five players. Are they and the younger kids willing to put in the work in the offseason? That will be the key to our future success.”
Duggins played in the season opener, then had a medical procedure done that left her sidelined until the Jan. 6 game with Rochester. Bragg said she made the team better as soon as she was able to retake the floor.
“Emi brings some tangible and intangible benefits to our team,” Bragg said. “Since her return, our offensive point production has increased dramatically. We’re not giving up as many wide open layups as a result of turnovers when teams press us, so her defensive presence has helped us.
“Her presence gives us some depth, even though she’s just one more person. We played several games when she was out with five players. She is a natural leader, so her presence in practice was immediately noticed.”
Whitko begins play at the 2A Central Noble Sectional around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday night against Prairie Heights.
With a win, the Lady Wildcats will play in Friday’s second semifinal against the host Lady Cougars.
The championship game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday.
The presence of Duggins made life a lot easier for classmate Ellie Snep. According to MaxPreps, Snep ranks 25th in the country and No. 1 in Indiana Class 2A at 15.7 rebounds per game, and the junior now owns the school rebounding record previously held by current assistant coach Emily Bidwell. Snep also averages better than 10 points a game.
Snep and Duggins have played together for many years, and Snep pitched while Duggins caught on Whitko’s semistate runner-up softball team.
“Ellie and Emi are best friends on and off the court. They are catcher and pitcher in softball. Emi back in the lineup has eased the need for Ellie to be our main offensive threat,” said Bragg. “The two have played sports together for years and have an understanding of each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”
Seniors Taylor Reiff and Anna Ousley, and juniors Lizz Foutz, Sarah Hewitt and Kayla Schipper have been mainstays for the Lady Wildcats this season. Even though this season hasn’t been anywhere near as successful as the previous three, it hasn’t kept Whitko from playing as hard as it can, night-in, night-out.
“If we throw out the injury toll throughout the season as a variable, one of the goals I had established was that we would play hard,” said Bragg, who took over for Brandon Bradley in the summer. “I wanted to develop a mentality that we will outwork our opponent. My philosophical approach has always been that those parts of the game are based on will, desire, and athleticism.”
Bragg wants his players to work toward not having to endure another tough season like the 2017-18 campaign.
“The other components of the game require basketball skill – decision making, dribbling, passing, shooting, etc. Unfortunately, there was not a mindset developing fundamentally sound and skilled basketball players prior to my arrival,” he said.
“These skills take more than a year to develop. These skills must be practiced and repeated in the offseason. I have already challenged the kids to commit to an offseason shooting and ball handling regiment. If the desire is there for all of our kids to improve, they will show up this spring, summer and fall, and we will see the benefits of improved basketball skills when the 2018-19 season begins.
“On paper, we will return our top four or five players. Are they and the younger kids willing to put in the work in the offseason? That will be the key to our future success.”
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