By RICHIE HALL
This year’s Fishers girls basketball team will have familiar faces, yet there will also be a new look for the Tigers.
Fishers did graduate six seniors from last year’s 13-12 team, including Toni Grace, who is now playing at Davenport University. But the Tigers have four players returning who played all or almost all of the varsity games last year, along with a few others who got some playing time as well.
“While we graduated six seniors and a great deal of our scoring in point guard Toni Grace, we return several players with multiple years of varsity experience,” said Fishers coach Lauren Vail. “Juniors Lydia Stullken and Tamia Perryman and Seniors Skylar Fulton and Cierra Tolbert all contributed last year and I look for each one to have an increased role this season.”
Perryman was the second-leading scorer last year, averaging 7.2 points per game. She was also far and away the top rebounder for the Tigers, bringing in an impressive 7.8 boards per contest. Perryman also led the team with 1.7 assists.
Stullken was also a force on the boards, with 3.6 rebounds per game. She was also the blocks leader, with 1.2 per contest, and averaged 3.8 points. As for the seniors, Fulton brings back 6.9 points per game, while Tolbert averaged 2.4 rebounds.
After those four players, Vail has four additional players who will be factors for Fishers this season.
“We will add a couple of sophomores in Katie Burton and Audra Emmerson and juniors Regan Newman and Kaitlynn Feagan who were both part of a very successful JV squad and will be looking to make the jump to the varsity level and contribute,” said Vail.
As a freshman, Burton played 13 varsity games last season and had decent numbers, scoring 2.8 points per game. Emmerson got into four games, with Newman playing two games.
“As a team, this group will work well together and I look for consistent improvement as the season goes on as we implement a new style of play,” said Vail. “I am very excited to work this group.”
Fishers will begin its season on Saturday by playing two games at the Ben Davis Invitational. The Tigers take on Southport at 11:30 a.m., then play the host Giants at 4:30 p.m.
VARSITY ROSTER
Seniors: Skylar Fulton, Cierra Tolbert.
Juniors: Kaitlynn Feagan, Regan Newman, Tamia Perryman, Lydia Stullken.
Sophomores: Addison Arena, Katie Burton, Audra Emmerson, Katie Howard.