With a solid mix of good young players and good upperclassmen, Hamilton Heights girls basketball coach Keegan Cherry said this year’s Huskies campaign could be a “special season.”
Heights had a special season last year, going 18-2 and winning a sectional championship. The Huskies graduated just one senior, Jillian Osswald, from the previous season’s team, and Cherry said she “will certainly be missed.”
But Cherry noted “there is a youth movement for Hamilton Heights,” with four sophomores and two freshmen on the roster. One of those sophomores is Camryn Runner, who was the leading scorer last year with 16.9 points per game and was named to the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association’s Underclass All-State team.
Runner also collected 5.2 rebounds, dished out 1.9 assists and made 40 percent of her 3-point attempts. Cherry said the sophomore class, which also includes Kassidy Schakel, Ella Hickok and Hadleigh Cherry, “will look to take the next step” after last year’s tournament run. Hickok averaged 5.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists, while Hadleigh Cherry contributed 1.4 rebounds and 1.0 points per game.
Another key returner is MyKayla Moran, one of two seniors on the Huskies’ team. Moran was the leading rebounder with 5.5 per game last season and also added 9.6 points per game. Mia Shields is the other senior. Heights’ lone junior, Kaylee Rhoton, brings back 2.4 points and 1.5 rebounds per contest. Cherry said all three “will all play significant roles this season.”
Heights opens its season on Saturday by hosting Danville. The game will have a 3 p.m. junior varsity start, followed by the varsity tipping off at 4:30 p.m.
VARSITY ROSTER
Seniors: MyKayla Moran, Mia Shields.
Junior: Kaylee Rhoton.
Sophomores: Hadleigh Cherry, Ella Hickok, Camryn Runner, Kassidy Schakel.
Freshmen: Katie Brown, Kennedy Cherry.