The Owensboro girls’ basketball team took a big hit in the offseason by losing three key players, so the Lady Devils are looking for growth as new faces step into leadership roles this year.
The losses will especially be felt on the offensive side, as roughly 70 percent of the scoring from last year does not return.
Point guard Amaya Curry transferred to Apollo — where she’s eligible to play this season — after leading the Lady Devils with 14.5 points per game. OHS also lost sharpshooter Tayonna Greer (12.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and leading rebounder Victoria Whitlock (7.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg) to graduation.
Curry and Greer combined to hit 86 of the team’s 99 3-pointers.
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Head coach Jansen Locher said it will be important for the defense to step up and keep games close this year so the Lady Devils can stay in contention.
“The first key to us being successful is to play great, fundamental defense,” he said. “We want to be aggressive, but also play smart on the defensive side. We gave up too many points last year, so that will be a main focus.”
Continuing to rebound and create second chances will also be a big emphasis.
“Last year we were top 10 in the state in rebounding, so if we continue to do that we will give ourselves a chance to be successful,” Locher said. “Scoring more second chance points will be key. Last year we got a lot of offensive rebounds, but didn’t convert them into many points.”
Top returners this season include seniors Mykael Winstead (9.0 ppg, 6.7 rpg) and Nia Gonzo (4.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg) as well as junior Lyric Lawrence (3.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg). Locher said all three are able to assert themselves, play with energy and dominate the glass.
Newcomers expected to be top contributors include freshman guard Melia Moorman and 8th-grade Alyrica Hughes.
With a mostly inexperienced group, Locher said he’s hoping the Lady Devils will improve throughout the season and put up a good fight at the end of the year.
“Our expectation is to continue to grow,” he said. “We want to be ready to compete when it is time for the district tournament.”
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