2019-20 Hillsboro Lady Indians Basketball Preview
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The Hillsboro Lady Indians look to get back onto the court for the 2019-20 season with a team that has experience at the varsity level, but they also play in a tough Frontier Athletic Conference.
Hillsboro is coming off a season where they finished 5-18 overall, but going into the 2019-20 season, they’ve begun the process to turn their fortunes around under head coach JR Moberly, who is entering his 10th season at the helm of the Lady Indians.
Last season, wins by the Lady Indians came against Jackson, Zane Trace, Blanchester, Piketon and Fayetteville.
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“We hope to continue to grow as student-athletes and basketball players,” Moberly said. “We hope to be competitive each night, give ourselves an opportunity to win and we hope to take advantage of as many of those opportunities as possible.”
The Lady Indians have six seniors on the roster this season, and they are Kira Watson, Kayden Watson, Josie Hopkins, Karleigh Hopkins, Jordan Moberly and Christine Page. Juniors this season are Mallory Parsons and Leah Hester.
“I have really enjoyed coaching these seniors for the past few years and look forward to seeing them continue to develop and grow,” Moberly said. “At the same time, I am excited for the opportunities available to our young players.”
HHS also has four sophomores, including Gracie Dean, Sinai Roberts, Brynn Bledsoe and Jaden Moberly, on the roster.
Returning to the Lady Indians is senior Karleigh Hopkins — who was special mention All-District last season — as she is the returning leading scorer from a year ago where she averaged 6.4 points per game, scoring 146 points. She also averaged 3.3 rebounds per game.
Also back is Josie Hopkins, who averaged 5.9 ppg. and 5.6 rpg. as a junior.
Kayden Watson averaged 5.5 ppg. a season ago, while Jordan Moberly finished last season at 3.5 ppg. and 3.2 rpg. and Dean averaged 3.2 ppg. and 3.0 rpg.
Even with some of their top scorers back from a season ago, there are still improvements that must be made for more success for the upcoming season.
“We have to improve our rebounding and our defense. We can control night in and night out these two areas,” Moberly said. “The preseason has gotten off to a good start. We have several freshmen in our program this year, so we have been reviewing a lot, but that has been good for our older players as well.”
Getting to the success they want, and the improvement needed, will take a “commitment to team success,” according to Moberly.
“I hope to see a continued commitment to team successes,” Moberly said. “I hope to see sacrifice and hard work, and I hope to see that pay off in the end as a successful season.”
Hillsboro — a member of the Frontier Athletic Conference — will have a tough road ahead of them as they face teams such as McClain, Jackson, Chillicothe, Washington and Miami Trace twice a season in the FAC. Last season, the conference champion was Washington with a record of 9-1. Moberly knows the conference is tough, and his team will have to play at a higher level than a season ago to compete with their FAC counterparts.
“The conference will be strong and very balanced,” he said. “There are many good players returning this season, and it is tough to pick a preseason favorite.”
The non-conference schedule for the Lady Indians consists of the following teams for the 2019-20 season: at East Clinton, at Waverly, at Adena, vs. Batavia, vs. Fayetteville, vs. Paint Valley, vs. Clinton-Massie, at Goshen, at Lynchburg-Clay, at Blanchester, vs. Western Brown and at Zane Trace.
“I am excited and looking forward to another season of basketball,” Moberly said. “Our girls worked hard during the summer to improve their game, and then many spent the fall competing in other sports. They seem excited, too, to be back in the gym.”
Hillsboro begins their season at East Clinton on Nov. 22 at 7:30 p.m.
Hillsboro is coming off a season where they finished 5-18 overall, but going into the 2019-20 season, they’ve begun the process to turn their fortunes around under head coach JR Moberly, who is entering his 10th season at the helm of the Lady Indians.
Last season, wins by the Lady Indians came against Jackson, Zane Trace, Blanchester, Piketon and Fayetteville.
[[In-content Ad]]
“We hope to continue to grow as student-athletes and basketball players,” Moberly said. “We hope to be competitive each night, give ourselves an opportunity to win and we hope to take advantage of as many of those opportunities as possible.”
The Lady Indians have six seniors on the roster this season, and they are Kira Watson, Kayden Watson, Josie Hopkins, Karleigh Hopkins, Jordan Moberly and Christine Page. Juniors this season are Mallory Parsons and Leah Hester.
“I have really enjoyed coaching these seniors for the past few years and look forward to seeing them continue to develop and grow,” Moberly said. “At the same time, I am excited for the opportunities available to our young players.”
HHS also has four sophomores, including Gracie Dean, Sinai Roberts, Brynn Bledsoe and Jaden Moberly, on the roster.
Returning to the Lady Indians is senior Karleigh Hopkins — who was special mention All-District last season — as she is the returning leading scorer from a year ago where she averaged 6.4 points per game, scoring 146 points. She also averaged 3.3 rebounds per game.
Also back is Josie Hopkins, who averaged 5.9 ppg. and 5.6 rpg. as a junior.
Kayden Watson averaged 5.5 ppg. a season ago, while Jordan Moberly finished last season at 3.5 ppg. and 3.2 rpg. and Dean averaged 3.2 ppg. and 3.0 rpg.
Even with some of their top scorers back from a season ago, there are still improvements that must be made for more success for the upcoming season.
“We have to improve our rebounding and our defense. We can control night in and night out these two areas,” Moberly said. “The preseason has gotten off to a good start. We have several freshmen in our program this year, so we have been reviewing a lot, but that has been good for our older players as well.”
Getting to the success they want, and the improvement needed, will take a “commitment to team success,” according to Moberly.
“I hope to see a continued commitment to team successes,” Moberly said. “I hope to see sacrifice and hard work, and I hope to see that pay off in the end as a successful season.”
Hillsboro — a member of the Frontier Athletic Conference — will have a tough road ahead of them as they face teams such as McClain, Jackson, Chillicothe, Washington and Miami Trace twice a season in the FAC. Last season, the conference champion was Washington with a record of 9-1. Moberly knows the conference is tough, and his team will have to play at a higher level than a season ago to compete with their FAC counterparts.
“The conference will be strong and very balanced,” he said. “There are many good players returning this season, and it is tough to pick a preseason favorite.”
The non-conference schedule for the Lady Indians consists of the following teams for the 2019-20 season: at East Clinton, at Waverly, at Adena, vs. Batavia, vs. Fayetteville, vs. Paint Valley, vs. Clinton-Massie, at Goshen, at Lynchburg-Clay, at Blanchester, vs. Western Brown and at Zane Trace.
“I am excited and looking forward to another season of basketball,” Moberly said. “Our girls worked hard during the summer to improve their game, and then many spent the fall competing in other sports. They seem excited, too, to be back in the gym.”
Hillsboro begins their season at East Clinton on Nov. 22 at 7:30 p.m.