2023-24 Hillsboro Lady Indians Basketball Preview

Returning all five starters from last season, the Hillsboro Lady Indians are looking to use the experience from a season of learning to gain improvement for the 2023-24 season under second-year head coach Heather Storer.

In returning every starter from last season — as HHS was 4-19 overall and 2-8 in the Frontier Athletic Conference — the Lady Indians will have three seniors, three juniors and five sophomores, and new to the program are five freshmen, as HHS returns nine varsity letter winners from the ’22-23 season.

“Returning nine players to the varsity bench — along with five starters — from last year is exciting on its own,” Storer said. “We have nine girls who know how we need to play and now have the experience of the varsity game speed.”

Seniors for the Lady Indians are guard Rylie Scott, guard Addyson Miles and guard Morgan Garman.

“Addyson Miles and Rylie Scott will be our senior leaders on the floor. Both have solid basketball IQ and ability to get things done on the floor,” Storer said. “Addy has improved her ability to score and sees the floor extremely well. Rylie fills the stats columns in ways that are hard to replicate.

“Morgan Garman is our third senior who has been battling injury. We hope to have her back before season’s end and appreciate her dedication to her team.”

Juniors are forward Blake Herdman, guard Peighton Bledsoe and center Kallie Fraley.

“Blake Herdman will be expected to continue to score and rebound for us,” Storer said. “As a junior, she has gained a lot of maturity and has bettered her game in many facets.

“Peighton Bledsoe will continue to run the point for us. She does a great job of seeing the floor and pushing the intensity and speed that we need for our system to produce.”

Sophomores are center Kiara Boris, center Aubrey Burton, guard Kobie Miles, guard Kayla Seeling and forward Kyra Boyd.

“Kyra Boyd and Kobie Miles are sophomores that both gained varsity minutes last year. This summer they both gained a lot of confidence and continued to better their game,” Storer said. “Both girls will be expected to take pressure off some of the other players and add to our team defensively and offensively.
 
“Kallie Fraley and Kayla Seeling are both players who will see varsity minutes and have put in a lot of work this offseason. They work hard every day in practice and push every person in the gym to get better.”

The newcomers are freshman guard Tylee Davis, center Annia Young, forward Phoebe Holland, guard Chanel Captain and guard Josie Rhoades.

“Tylee Davis’s athleticism fits right into the style of play that we will bring every night,” Storer said. “She has worked extremely hard to get where she is and will continue to develop into an impact player.”

Last season, Herdman was the Lady Indians’ leading scorer with 12.9 points per game, along with 7.1 rebounds per game during what was her sophomore season. As a sophomore, Herdman was All-FAC, second-team Coaches All-District and third-team OPSWA All-District.

Addyson Miles returns from a junior season where she averaged 6.7 ppg and 2.5 rebounds per game.

Also in the ’22-23 season, Bledsoe averaged 5.5 ppg and 3.2 rpg, as she was an honorable mention Coaches All-District selection. Teammate Kobie Miles had a 4.1 ppg average, along with 3.6 rpg.

There was also Scott, who is returning from a season where she averaged 3.8 ppg and 3.6 rpg, and Boyd finished last season with a 3.6 ppg average, and she also averaged 2.7 rpg.

Getting prepared for her second season coaching the Lady Indians, Storer has seen positives – and parts of their game the team needs to work on –  with her squad as they prepare for the upcoming season.

“I couldn’t ask for a better group of girls and coaches. The girls are excited, having fun and ready to play — which isn’t something you get everywhere,” Storer said. “We are creating a culture of working hard, getting better and enjoying the game. This creates a total environment for growth and winning. Our coaching staff comes to practice dialed in every day, ready to work hard. That is truly irreplaceable, and I could not ask for a better staff.

“We need to continue the path of growth that we are on. Never settle or be happy with where we are and work hard every day — no days off.”

The expectations for the Lady Indians’ second season with Storer as the head coach is to improve each day.

“We continue to strive to get one-percent better every day,” Storer said. “With this being our expectation from last season into this season, we have made huge strides to get where we want to be. We are going to go out and compete every single night. We want to set the pace and play our style. We want to control every game from the beginning.”

Using one word to describe her team, Storer said they are “aggressive.”

“We have spent the last year learning and growing as a team,” Storer said. “We will be playing to our strengths this season, which is defense and athleticism.”

Playing in the Frontier Athletic Conference is no easy task, as Storer talked about each team in the conference headed into the season.

“Jackson will likely be the one to beat in the FAC. We intend to prepare like we are playing them every day — they are our team to beat,” Storer said. “Miami Trace and McClain will have quite a few pieces that will give them the ability to play with anyone. Their style of play is aggressive and will cause teams a lot of problems.
 
“Chillicothe and Washington C.H. will have a new look, losing some big senior pieces and WCH getting a new coach. I expect both teams to be ready to compete come game time. There are no easy battles in the FAC, with lots of good coaches and players that want to win and work hard.”

There is also the non-conference schedule for Hillsboro, as they will have the following games outside of the FAC slate: away games at Blanchester, Goshen, Lynchburg-Clay, East Clinton and Adena; and home games against River Valley, Paint Valley, Fairfield, Peebles, Western Brown, Whiteoak and Wilmington.

“Our non-league is likely even more challenging than our league schedule,” Storer said. “The teams we’ll be playing will help prepare us for hard-fought league games and the end of the season.”

Assistant coaches for Hillsboro this season are: Ben Fouch, Jake Fouch, Emma Fouch, JC Captain, Larry Scruggs and Mallory Parsons.

“Heading into year two, I could not be more excited to be where we are as a program,” Storer said. “I am surrounded by great kids, supportive parents and a system that believes in who we are and where we are going.

“We are so proud of the work these girls have put in so far and are ready to get this season going.”

Hillsboro opens the 2023-24 season on Wednesday, Nov. 22 on the road at Blanchester in a non-conference game.