The Highland girls basketball team looks to improve on last year's 8-15 season under the helm of new coach Matt Bradley, who is no stranger to the Highland school community.
Bradley brings 19 years of experience to the bench at various coaching levels. Most recently, he was the team’s assistant coach, and between 2013 and 2016, he was the boys basketball coach. His experience with a number of coaches over the year, including Jerry Groves, Jim Simpson and Jared Ronai, has helped his coaching style, he said.
The Scots return four seniors in Brylinn Tuggle, Jacinta Eblin, Emma West and Ryleigh Howard. There are also eight juniors from last year’s varsity and JV programs, with five coming from varsity. Experience and size are the major strengths this season.
“The biggest concern is just the girls learning a new system and expectations of a new coach,” Bradley said.
He said the team wants to play an aggressive and unselfish style of basketball while adhering to the team’s mantra.
“Our program follows the “Three I’s in Team”: I serve others, I live with joy, I learn and grow,” Bradley said. “Our goal is to improve daily and over the course of the season and become the best that we are capable of becoming.”
Defensively, Bradley wants to make the opponent uncomfortable in the full court and half court, as well as utilize the team’s size and athleticism.
The Scots move from the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference (KMAC) to the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference this season, and the new league has its hurdles.
“Moving into a new conference, learning about the new opponents will be a challenge as the programs in the MOAC are excellent,” Bradley said.
The Lady Scots have started 0-2 this season, having lost to Fredericktown and Northmor, but will look for that first win at home vs. Pleasant on Saturday, Dec. 4, at 7:30 p.m.
