SYRACUSE — Wawasee used the same starting combination throughout the 2022-23 girls basketball season.
The same has not been true in 2023-24 with some players missing time for various reasons.
As the Warriors have come down the stretch preparing for the postseason, all personnel have been available.
“We’re finally at full-strength,” said second-year Wawasee coach Derek Gilreath. “Early in the season we were missed Brooklynn Gibson, Molly Beer and Olivia Horn for different stints.”
The Warriors are in the five-team IHSAA Class 3A West Noble Sectional and Gilreath identifies juniors Horn, Mackenzie Hackleman, Ava Couture and Lucy Wilkinson and senior Kaydence Shepherd as probable starters with seniors Gibson and Kylie Perkins and juniors Beer and Lydia Stookey as the likely first players off the bench.
The seven-team tournament at West Noble opens at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30 with Wawasee (13-9) against Lakeland.
The semifinals are slated for Friday, Feb. 2 — NorthWood against West Noble at 6 p.m. followed by defending 3A state champion Fairfield against the Wawasee/Lakeland winner.
The championship is 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3.
Gilreath employs a pressing defense and motion offense.
“We get out and press,” said Gilreath. “It’s rare to see us ever just back on defense. We use our pressure to turn defense into offense.
“That’s when we’re at our best.”
Though it’s not the focus, steals tend to lead to transition baskets. The team takes what is given by the opponent.
The Warriors have an offensive average of 41.2 points per game and a defensive average of 39.0.
“We’re a very balanced and unselfish team,” said Gilreath of Wawasee’s offensive attack. “That’s one of our strengths. We do share the ball well. The girls don’t really care who’s scoring. We need all five girls on the floor willing to take a shot.
“Our offensive isn’t designed for one particular girl.”
Hackleman (11.2), Horn (7.6), Shepherd (7.0) and Couture (7.0) are the scoring leaders.
Of the Warriors’ 92 3-pointers, Hackleman has 35, Couture 19, Shepherd 12 and Wilkinson 10.
“We shoot a lot of them,” said Gilreath of the perimeter attempts. “We need to work on our percentage. But we need them to be willing to take the open (outside) shots to open up the driving lanes.”
Pacing the squad in rebounding are Horn (4.9), Hackleman (4.4) and Couture (4.4).
Hackleman has the most steals per game (4.1) and the most blocked shots (1.8).
Gilreath assessed the sectional draw.
“It’s good that we get some of the jitters out early,” said Gilreath. “We get to play that first night and we’re not stressing about it until Friday.
“Lakeland has been playing much better recently. They’ll play a zone which will help us prepare for Fairfield’s zone.”
During the regular season, Wawasee lost 44-27 at defending 3A state champion Fairfield Nov. 7, beat visiting Lakeland 55-25 Nov. 14, won 54-32 at West Noble Nov. 28 and won 41-40 at NorthWood Jan. 6.
Beer did not play against Lakeland or Fairfield so the Warriors did not have her inside presence.
“It’s huge having her back against both opponents,” said Gilreath. “Fairfield dominated us in the paint in the first game and we didn’t adjust very well.
“We’ve done a much better job as the season’s progressed when teams have girls bigger than we are.”
Wawasee is 2-4 during the 2024 portion of the calendar with losses in its last three games.
The Warriors are guaranteed to finish above .500 for the first time since 2017-18 when Wawasee went 13-11.
Since the IHSAA girls basketball tournament began in 1975-76, Wawasee is 61-48 including 26-26 overall and 21-21 in sectional play during the class era.
The Warriors have won 13 sectional titles — the last in 2011.