Whiteoak 2021-22 Girls Basketball Preview: An era at Whiteoak begins with enthusiasm, new head coach
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
Having a new head coach means things will be changing for the Whiteoak Lady Wildcats basketball program. The team has had their struggles to reach the win column over the past decade, but with a new era arriving for the Lady Wildcats, things are looking to change for the program.
At head coach for Whiteoak this year is Ron Harris, who takes over for Susie Lucas, who coached the program for one season and helped the program become stable.
“My first six years, I coached at Princeton High School (men’s basketball) in the GMC (Greater Miami Conference). The last three years, I was coaching on the men’s side at Blanchester High School,” Harris told The Highland County Press. “I also assisted with helping the women’s JV and varsity to help fill a coaching void.
“I have nine years of coaching on the men’s side. The six years at Princeton, I got to work with some serious talent in possibly the toughest league in Cincinnati. Several of our players went on to play Div. I football. I have players on UC, Ohio State and many other football teams, starters on Div. I basketball teams, and a player who plays in the NBA (Darius Bazley, Oklahoma City Thunder). At Blanchester, I was there for three of the four years of a huge standout in Brayden Sipple. I’ve also coached AAU for the last six years, playing in big tournaments against some amazing talent.”
Last year, WHS had four wins, which was an improvement over some past seasons, but like with every season, the goal is the same as with every team, and that’s to have improvement.
“The basic expectation of getting better each day will go a long way with this group. We are very young,” Harris said. “I don’t know the makeup of other teams’ rosters, but I would think we are the youngest in the league.
“Putting a ‘number of wins’ for an expectation wouldn’t be a true indicator of progress for us. Buying into these new concepts and building the culture will be the true measure this year.”
Last season, WHS finished 1-12 in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference (SHAC) and 4-19 overall, but this season the roster of the Lady ’Cats consists of one senior, one junior, seven sophomores and six freshmen.
The lone senior is Emmy Hawkins (forward), and the lone junior is Brooke Campbell (forward). The sophomores are Sophie Wilson (forward), Molly McMullen (forward), Kelsey Monteith (guard), Bri Hill (guard), Lydia Carr (guard), Jaylie Parr (guard) and Madison Thompson (guard).
The freshmen class consists of Madison Schum (guard), Alexis Kennedy (guard), Elly McMullen (guard), Addison Roberts (guard), Adrionna Phillips (guard) and Darby Yeager (forward).
“The makeup of our roster is very ideal for a rebuild. If we were to play right now, we would start four sophomores and one freshman,” Harris said. “There are still a few girls who will determine our success this season. We have bought into a ‘family’ concept, and our success will be 100-percent team-driven.”
Last season, Parr led WHS with 7.4 points per game, as she also had 4.7 rebounds per game, 2 steals per game and 2.9 assists per game during her freshman season. Carr as a freshman last season scored 7 ppg., 5.7 rpg., 1 spg. and 1.8 apg.
One thing about the WHS program is they’ve had 13 consecutive seasons under .500 and haven’t had a winning year since the 2007-08 season. Since that time, WHS has had their share of struggles on the court, and Coach Harris has noticed that since his arrival.
“There are some very athletic and high-potential ladies in this program,” Harris said. “If we can tap into a decent percentage of that potential this year, we will be in a good position. We are calling this year, ‘The Rebuild.’ The two years that follow, we will put a lot higher goals and expectations on those. For now, one-percent better every day.
“The girls have stepped up and accepted the challenge, even telling me in our first meeting together that they wanted to outshine the boys. Whiteoak women’s basketball will be revamped, and when you see us on your schedule in years to come, it will be a game.”
Whiteoak opens the season Nov. 22 at home against Sciotoville East.
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At head coach for Whiteoak this year is Ron Harris, who takes over for Susie Lucas, who coached the program for one season and helped the program become stable.
“My first six years, I coached at Princeton High School (men’s basketball) in the GMC (Greater Miami Conference). The last three years, I was coaching on the men’s side at Blanchester High School,” Harris told The Highland County Press. “I also assisted with helping the women’s JV and varsity to help fill a coaching void.
“I have nine years of coaching on the men’s side. The six years at Princeton, I got to work with some serious talent in possibly the toughest league in Cincinnati. Several of our players went on to play Div. I football. I have players on UC, Ohio State and many other football teams, starters on Div. I basketball teams, and a player who plays in the NBA (Darius Bazley, Oklahoma City Thunder). At Blanchester, I was there for three of the four years of a huge standout in Brayden Sipple. I’ve also coached AAU for the last six years, playing in big tournaments against some amazing talent.”
Last year, WHS had four wins, which was an improvement over some past seasons, but like with every season, the goal is the same as with every team, and that’s to have improvement.
“The basic expectation of getting better each day will go a long way with this group. We are very young,” Harris said. “I don’t know the makeup of other teams’ rosters, but I would think we are the youngest in the league.
“Putting a ‘number of wins’ for an expectation wouldn’t be a true indicator of progress for us. Buying into these new concepts and building the culture will be the true measure this year.”
Last season, WHS finished 1-12 in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference (SHAC) and 4-19 overall, but this season the roster of the Lady ’Cats consists of one senior, one junior, seven sophomores and six freshmen.
The lone senior is Emmy Hawkins (forward), and the lone junior is Brooke Campbell (forward). The sophomores are Sophie Wilson (forward), Molly McMullen (forward), Kelsey Monteith (guard), Bri Hill (guard), Lydia Carr (guard), Jaylie Parr (guard) and Madison Thompson (guard).
The freshmen class consists of Madison Schum (guard), Alexis Kennedy (guard), Elly McMullen (guard), Addison Roberts (guard), Adrionna Phillips (guard) and Darby Yeager (forward).
“The makeup of our roster is very ideal for a rebuild. If we were to play right now, we would start four sophomores and one freshman,” Harris said. “There are still a few girls who will determine our success this season. We have bought into a ‘family’ concept, and our success will be 100-percent team-driven.”
Last season, Parr led WHS with 7.4 points per game, as she also had 4.7 rebounds per game, 2 steals per game and 2.9 assists per game during her freshman season. Carr as a freshman last season scored 7 ppg., 5.7 rpg., 1 spg. and 1.8 apg.
One thing about the WHS program is they’ve had 13 consecutive seasons under .500 and haven’t had a winning year since the 2007-08 season. Since that time, WHS has had their share of struggles on the court, and Coach Harris has noticed that since his arrival.
“There are some very athletic and high-potential ladies in this program,” Harris said. “If we can tap into a decent percentage of that potential this year, we will be in a good position. We are calling this year, ‘The Rebuild.’ The two years that follow, we will put a lot higher goals and expectations on those. For now, one-percent better every day.
“The girls have stepped up and accepted the challenge, even telling me in our first meeting together that they wanted to outshine the boys. Whiteoak women’s basketball will be revamped, and when you see us on your schedule in years to come, it will be a game.”
Whiteoak opens the season Nov. 22 at home against Sciotoville East.
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