SOUTH WHITLEY – Whitko went through an upgraded schedule to help prepare them for this time of year, as the Lady Wildcats seek the program’s first postseason title this week in the Class 2A Central Noble Sectional. “We definitely wanted to make our schedule a little bit tougher considering the roster we have this season, and scheduling undoubtedly provided us opportunities to improve and mature,” head coach Brandon Bradley said. “I think by playing a string of tough games around the holidays and into January, it really helped us figure out who we are, where we need to improve, and it forced us to fight through some adversity. Mentally, I don't think we ever lacked confidence in ourselves, but I do think there were moments where we were a little unsure of who we are and we had to figure that out. But over the last 3-4 games we've shown the aggressiveness we had the last two seasons and early this season.” If there’s been a surprise this year, it may be senior Jennifer Reiff, who has several 20-plus point games to her credit and scored 30 against Lakeland last week. But Bradley isn’t surprised at all. “Jennifer has always been an athletic talent,” he said. “She lettered her freshman year because our roster was thin and we could use her length and explosiveness. She was honorable mention all-conference her sophomore year and was really starting to show what she has shown this year as a senior. Last year as a junior however, she missed the first half of the season and I think when she returned she was a little hesitant and unaggressive because she didn't want to ‘rock the boat.’ “We've seen her ability and potential every day in practice for four years, and now everyone else is seeing it consistently on game nights.” Standout junior Aly Reiff continues to draw a lot of attention, and Brianna Cumberland is getting stronger after an ACL injury in last year’s sectional. “Aly has continued to be a constant contributor at both ends of the floor. She has increased her scoring, but she's also shooting the basketball at all levels at career-high percentages. Her strength and overall physical transformation has been the biggest key,” Bradley said. “Brianna has shot the ball solidly from the perimeter, as usual, and has already become our career leader in three-pointers made. She’s still not yet a year removed from ACL surgery, and she's adapting and figuring our her limitations as an athlete right now, but she continues to improve her explosion as the season goes on.” Last year Whitko was in the same sectional as perennial power NorthWood and Tippecanoe Valley, who made a run to Indy last spring. By moving to Class 2A, some folks may think the Lady Wildcats caught a break in the quest for the first girls basketball sectional title in school history. That perception isn’t rooted in reality, according to Bradley. “If that's the case, they aren't paying attention to some of the things Westview (11-game win streak, Northeast Corner Conference regular season champs) and Central Noble (won 9 of last 10 as of press time, and NECC tournament champs) have done. Plus even though Bremen is 9-12, they’ve played the first third of the season without their best player, and she's only returned to near full health recently,” he said. While there won’t be a lot of familiarity with sectional opponents, having played only Central Noble this year, Bradley is glad his team will be able to get right to it. “I like the fact that we play in the first round and don't have to sit with a bye and watch everyone else play,” he said. “We know who we play, when we play, and we're ready to get going. That first game always creates some nervous tension, and if you have to sit around and wait for a bye, then you're going through your nervousness against a team who has a tournament game under their belt.” Whitko opens the sectional tourney with a 6 p.m. game against Bremen Tuesday.
