The West Holmes girls’ basketball team won the Ohio Cardinal Conference (OCC) with a 12-2 record and went 21-5 overall last year, and while the Knights lost the OCC player of the year to graduation, team brings back seven letter winners looking to continue the success this winter.
“We are probably going to have a little more even distribution of scoring, but core defensive principles will remain the same,” said Coach Lindsy Belden. “We are also looking to play two posts this year, which we didn't last year.”
Belden is looking for people to step up and take on the scoring roll. Returners include Keegan Uhl, Allie McMillen, Chloe Patten, Nealie Fair, Aveona Yoder, Briar Cline and Zalina Proper. Newcomers are Greta Rolince and Jewell Brown, who both played JV but dressed for varsity. Seniors and captains include McMillen, Patten, Uhl and Fair.
The team has the tough task of replacing a player that could do it all on the court. Ella McMillen was the lone graduate, but she is a huge loss as she led the team in scoring and was a leader for the team as the OCC player of the year. McMillen accounted for team highs with 13 ppg, 6.2 rebounds, 2.9 steals, 0.4 blocks to go with 3.3 assists which were second on the team.
Uhl is coming off a year where she averaged 10.2 ppg. She led the team in three point attempts, and looks to increase her efficiency from deep this season to step up the point totals. Uhl averaged 2.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.8 steals.
Allie McMillen is a force on defense, as she led the team with 4.5 steals and 0.4 blocks, and 4.9 deflections. She also makes a stamp on offense, as she averaged 6.5 ppg, 3.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds.
Patten and Cline averaged 4.4 and 4.5 ppg respectively, and Yoder, an honorable mention for All-OCC, averaged 4.8 points all in significant playing time. Patten made a mark on defense with 1.8 deflections, 1.8 steals and a team high 0.6 blocks per game. Fair played 11 minutes a game and looks to see this increase.
This is the seventh year at the helm for Belden and ninth at West Holmes, as she was also an assistant coach for two years. She has an impressive overall record of 95-49 as a coach. Belden’s alma mater is West Holmes as well, and she was coached by Lisa (Patterson) Ogi. She also coached under her for two years before becoming head coach. Belden said she gets much of her coaching philosophy through her, as well as her coach at Malone, Jason Mishler.
The team tends to primarily play man defense and provide full court pressure.
“Our strengths will be in our defense, as that is what we live by at West Holmes,” Coach Belden said. “However, our balanced scoring should also be a strength for us.”
Looking at the schedule, Belden sees several tough matchups including Waynesdale, Wooster, Mansfield Senior, Strasburg, Margaretta, Triway, Hiland and Clear Fork.
West Holmes kicks off its season on Nov. 29 at 7:30 p.m. at home. The first conference matchup is at Lexington on Dec. 2 at 1 p.m.
