July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Tribe targeting MAC title (11/26/2008)
FRHS girls basketball
By By RAY COONEY-
The 2007-08 Fort Recovery High School girls basketball team had just two players with significant varsity experience.
Four mainstays, who combined to average 39 points during their senior season, were gone to graduation.
And there were no seniors on the squad.
The Indians and first-year coach Doug Bihn still put together a winning season for the seventh time in the last eight years. And they finished 14-7 overall and an impressive 7-2 in the Midwest Athletic Conference.
So now, having lost no players to graduation, Fort Recovery enters this season with an experienced squad and high expectations.
"I think they're capable of a lot," said Bihn, whose team kicks off its season Saturday at Memorial (St. Marys). "We've set some pretty lofty goals for the kids."
The two main goals are a MAC title and a deep tournament run. The last time Fort Recovery finished first in the league was 1991, when Bihn's sister, Lynn, led the way to back-to-back state titles.
Two Indians averaged double-digit scoring for the Indians last season, with Joanna Snyder at 12.8 points per game and Anne Koesters with 10.6. They also led the team in rebounding with 6.1 and 6.5 per game respectively.
Snyder added 76 assists, 53 steals and 17 3-pointers, all of which were team highs. Koesters shot just under 50 percent from the field.
Joining those two in the starting lineup are fellow senior Kelsey Wuebker (38 assists) and juniors Nicole Pottkotter (6.2 points per game, 36 assists) and Chelsey Leuthold (42 steals).
Bihn also has a pair of seniors in Kinsey Wenning and Rachel Tobe to bring off the bench, along with sophomores Kendra Brunswick and Nicole Dilworth. He also said having a year under his belt and a more experienced team has made a big difference in the preseason.
"It makes it a lot simpler on my part. I have a lot more leaders this year," said Bihn. "We had no seniors on our teams so there wasn't a defined leader. ... We're basically just fine-tuning what we already had put in.
"The older kids, they already know what's going on.
"It's pretty encouraging. We have a lot of experience coming back. It's going to be hard to find playing time for everybody."
Bihn said he now looks to his senior starters - Wuebker, Snyder and Koesters - for leadership, both by way of their words and their examples. He said in addition to his returning scorers - Wenning averaged 5.5 points per game and Luethold added 5.2 - he thinks Brunswick gives the Indians an extra weapon.
"Kendra can score at any time," said Bihn. "There are going to be some games that she puts up some points I'm sure."
On the defensive end, the Indians are going to have a bit of a different look.
A year ago the team settled on a 1-3-1 zone. This year, Bihn said his team's quickness would allow him to play a variety of defenses.
"I just felt like the 1-3-1 zone was a good fit for us (last season)," said Bihn. "I still think it's a good fit ... but we're going to look at playing more man-to-man."
He said his team's success will start on the defensive end. And he'd also like to see his more experienced crew cut down on its own turnovers after averaging 18 per game last season.
"We've got to take care of the basketball No.1. We can't turn the ball over," he said. "If we defend well and take care of the rebounding and turnovers, I think we have a pretty good chance ...
"I'm looking forward to a good year."[[In-content Ad]]
Four mainstays, who combined to average 39 points during their senior season, were gone to graduation.
And there were no seniors on the squad.
The Indians and first-year coach Doug Bihn still put together a winning season for the seventh time in the last eight years. And they finished 14-7 overall and an impressive 7-2 in the Midwest Athletic Conference.
So now, having lost no players to graduation, Fort Recovery enters this season with an experienced squad and high expectations.
"I think they're capable of a lot," said Bihn, whose team kicks off its season Saturday at Memorial (St. Marys). "We've set some pretty lofty goals for the kids."
The two main goals are a MAC title and a deep tournament run. The last time Fort Recovery finished first in the league was 1991, when Bihn's sister, Lynn, led the way to back-to-back state titles.
Two Indians averaged double-digit scoring for the Indians last season, with Joanna Snyder at 12.8 points per game and Anne Koesters with 10.6. They also led the team in rebounding with 6.1 and 6.5 per game respectively.
Snyder added 76 assists, 53 steals and 17 3-pointers, all of which were team highs. Koesters shot just under 50 percent from the field.
Joining those two in the starting lineup are fellow senior Kelsey Wuebker (38 assists) and juniors Nicole Pottkotter (6.2 points per game, 36 assists) and Chelsey Leuthold (42 steals).
Bihn also has a pair of seniors in Kinsey Wenning and Rachel Tobe to bring off the bench, along with sophomores Kendra Brunswick and Nicole Dilworth. He also said having a year under his belt and a more experienced team has made a big difference in the preseason.
"It makes it a lot simpler on my part. I have a lot more leaders this year," said Bihn. "We had no seniors on our teams so there wasn't a defined leader. ... We're basically just fine-tuning what we already had put in.
"The older kids, they already know what's going on.
"It's pretty encouraging. We have a lot of experience coming back. It's going to be hard to find playing time for everybody."
Bihn said he now looks to his senior starters - Wuebker, Snyder and Koesters - for leadership, both by way of their words and their examples. He said in addition to his returning scorers - Wenning averaged 5.5 points per game and Luethold added 5.2 - he thinks Brunswick gives the Indians an extra weapon.
"Kendra can score at any time," said Bihn. "There are going to be some games that she puts up some points I'm sure."
On the defensive end, the Indians are going to have a bit of a different look.
A year ago the team settled on a 1-3-1 zone. This year, Bihn said his team's quickness would allow him to play a variety of defenses.
"I just felt like the 1-3-1 zone was a good fit for us (last season)," said Bihn. "I still think it's a good fit ... but we're going to look at playing more man-to-man."
He said his team's success will start on the defensive end. And he'd also like to see his more experienced crew cut down on its own turnovers after averaging 18 per game last season.
"We've got to take care of the basketball No.1. We can't turn the ball over," he said. "If we defend well and take care of the rebounding and turnovers, I think we have a pretty good chance ...
"I'm looking forward to a good year."[[In-content Ad]]
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