2024-25 Whiteoak Lady Wildcats Basketball Preview

The Whiteoak Wildcats are entering their fourth season with Ron Harris as their head coach, and for the past three seasons with Harris at the helm, the foundation has been placed as to where he wants to take the Lady ‘Cats’ program for the 2024-25 season.

Last season, WHS had a winning record of 14-10, where they were second place in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference (Div. II). WHS has had 14-10 overall records the past two seasons (including a co-SHAC Div. II championship in 2022-23), and in the last three seasons WHS has won 35 games, averaging nearly 12 wins per season.

This season, Whiteoak returns two full-time starters from a year ago. Seniors for WHS this season are Torie Potts (guard/forward), Addison Roberts (guard), Kylee Hamm (guard) and Elly McMullen (guard).

Hamm (24 games) as a junior averaged 9.5 points per game, along with 7.0 rebounds per game, 1.6 assists per game and 2.3 steals per game. Roberts (24 games) averaged 4.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.5 apg and 1.1 spg.

Potts in 11 games last season averaged 3.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.9 apg and 1.8 spg.

There are no juniors on the roster, and the sophomore class consists of Charli Hauke (guard) and Addy Hauke (guard). Freshmen this season are Jada Combs (forward) and Jillian Lucas (guard).

“We are returning just two full starters from last year,” Harris said. “Torie Potts was a starter but had to sit the last half of the season. Kylee Hamm and Addy Roberts have by far the most experience in a Whiteoak uniform for us.

“Kylee and Addy both were main ball handlers last season, and on any given night you could count on them for 10 to 20 points combined.”

Players lost to graduation include career 1,000-point scorer Jaylie Parr, who was All-SHAC, first-ream Coaches All-District, second-team OPSWA All-District and Honorable Mention Div. IV All-Ohio her senior year, as well as Lydia Carr, who was honorable mention All-District (coaches and OPSWA) a season ago.

There is excitement for the WHS program this season to be a more complete team, with all aspects of the game looking to be more productive.

“This year, you will see more even production than any of the previous three years,” Harris said. “Scoring, rebounding, assists, ball control, all of it. Kylee Hamm and Torie Potts are going to make a good case for All-League, and Addison Roberts should start to get the recognition that she has earned over the last three years. Unfortunately, the things she does for us don’t always show up on the stat sheet. I believe she is probably the least recognized player in the league who deserves to be talked about with the best.”

Harris spoke about some of the younger players as well on the roster who are going to be looked upon to make an impact for the Lady ’Cats.

“Freshman Jillian Lucas and sophomore twins — Addy and Charli Hauke — will turn some heads this year and look like they have a few years of experience, even though they don't. Rounding out with a shooter, Elly McMullen, and Jada Combs to come in and give some solid minutes, this could be a special group.”

In '23-24, Whiteoak averaged 48.1 points per game in SHAC competition (13 games) and allowed 44.1 ppg against SHAC competition. Overall in 24 games, the Lady ’Cats averaged 46.1 ppg and allowed 42.8 ppg.

This offseason, WHS played a very strong scrimmage and summer schedule, as Harris wants his team to play top competition in preparation for the season that awaits.

“This summer, we went all in by attending seven college camps (UC, Xavier, OSU, Mount Union, Tennessee, Michigan and Michigan State),” Harris said. “We saw lots of very good competition, most teams averaging 19-22 wins the prior season. Playing on big courts, historic courts, versus tough teams, we couldn’t have asked for a better summer.”

Another aspect of the 24-25 WHS Lady ’Cats is how close they’ve become as a team over the summer and preseason preparation.

“This team is very close, very hungry and has done everything I've asked of them,” Harris said. “They push each other better than any team I've previously had here. With low numbers, some of the things we are trying to do are harder to work on. We can't go 5-vs-5, or simulate someone’s defense, their press, etc, but these ladies are learning on the fly during the summer and in our tough preseason scrimmages.”

Improvement is key for Whiteoak to get back to the top of the SHAC Division II standings and for them to achieve other goals they’ve set for the upcoming season. Harris also described his team in a few words … Fast, Competitive, Family.

“We always want to improve at everything, We are not happy with where we are in any aspect of the game. I just want them to keep their hunger and stay together,” Harris said. “If we can produce close to what I believe our capability is — very high — I think this season we could make a strong case of us being a top three team in the league, big and small schools combined.”

The SHAC is always a strong conference to play in each season, and Harris believes the conference this season is more balanced than in previous seasons.

“The league is getting more and more even each year. Most of the big-time players have graduated,” Harris said. “I don’t think there is really a dominant player left who could win a game by themselves. North Adams may be the closest to having one of those, but you won't be able to count anyone out this year.”

The non-conference schedule for the Lady ’Cats is very competitive, with the following games on the schedule: vs. Bethel-Tate, vs. Clinton-Massie, vs. St. Ursula (Princeton High School Holiday Classic), vs. Lutheran East (Princeton High School Holiday Classic), at Georgetown, vs. Western Latham, vs. Zane Trace, at Clermont Northeastern and vs. Hillsboro.

“Two games that stand out when you look at our schedule are Whiteoak vs. St. Ursula and Whiteoak vs. Lutheran East (Cleveland). We were fortunate to be invited to play in the Princeton High School Holiday Classic, and that’s the school where everything started for me as a player and then a coach,” Harris said. “It’s an honor to be able to take these ladies and compete on a court and at a school that made me who I am today.

“I have literally left blood, sweat and tears there. Several people who still work at Princeton from when I was there, as a student or employee, have reached out and are excited to see us play there. It’s a full-circle moment for me, as well as being two of the biggest non-tournament games that Whiteoak has played in recent history.”

Harris also wanted to say thanks and recognize former assistant coach and head coach Susie Lucas, who stepped down as assistant coach after multiple seasons in the role, and before that she was head coach for one season.

“This year with a small roster also comes a small coaching staff. With eight girls, it is just me coaching,” Harris said. “With that being said, I would like to mention Susie Lucas and all she has done for our program in the last four years. Being the head coach the year before me, and then agreeing to stay and assist my first three years, it has been a challenge for many reasons. Susie has always been there for our girls, giving up time to spend with her own kids just to take extra care of our players.

“Any success we have had as a program would not have been made without her help. I'm glad she will be able to sit back and just enjoy watching Jillian, her daughter, play this year.”

Whiteoak opens the 2024-25 season on Monday, Nov. 25 at home against the Manchester Lady Greyhounds in SHAC action.

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