Following a season in which Apollo battled its way to being a district runner-up and making it to the second round of the 3rd Region Tournament, the E-gals are looking to build its roster back up again with a much younger look this season.
Apollo finished last 15-17, led by the dynamic backcourt duo of Amaya Curry (15.3) and Shelbie Beatty (13.8). The two combined for about 29 points per game, but have since gone on to play at the collegiate level for Bellarmine University and Campbellsville University respectively.
The E-gals do return its third-leading scorer (11.5 ppg) and leading rebounder (8.0 rpg) from last season in junior Jenna Dant, as Head Coach Natlie Payne expects her to be a force inside once again while taking on a bigger leadership role. Another key returnee that will be a big leader for Apollo is guard Gracie Survant, serving as the lone senior on the team.
“Gracie brings experience to our young team,” Payne said. “She has shown great leadership in the preseason, and she will be key in handling the ball and helping us get into our offense. She works extremely hard on the defensive end and will be a pest for opponents defensively.”
And while filling in for Curry and Beatty will be a tall task, Payne has a number of guards on the roster to go along with Survant that will look to fill those roles. This includes freshman guard Kennedy Lane, who played crucial minutes for Apollo last season as an eighth grader.
“She started several games as an eighth grader,” Payne said. “She averaged 5.8 pts per game. Kennedy’s size and body frame allow her to compete at a high level. She has a quick first step and the ability to knock down the three-point shot.”
Payne also expects sophomore guard Gizelle Whitlock to be a key part of their backcourt, looking to her for her defensive prowess and athleticism to help them on both sides of the ball. Joining her is freshman guard Abby Sapp who is a sharp shooter and has length that causes problems as a defender, as she will most likely take on a larger role following her play last year as an eighth grader.
Apollo also returns junior forward Jennifer Lee who will look to be a spark in the paint for the E-gals once again this season, alongside sophomore forward Heleina John—who Payne says is one of the most versatile pliers in the region with her ability to play multiple positions.
Payne also expects to get some contributions from junior forward Sarah Rice as well, as she will bring toughness, rebounding and defense to Apollo. This will be key to grabbing wins, as doing the little things right offensively while focusing on rebounding and defense is what the E-gals staff is harping on to its players.
“We must focus on defense and rebounding,” Payne said. “Being able to control the tempo of the game, take care of the basketball, and outrebounding our opponents [will be key].”
Payne said that the E-gals players worked really hard in their early morning preseason conditioning workouts and that the kids are coachable and buying into the team-first concept. Apollo knows that there will be some bumps in the road with such a young roster, but also knows that if they steadily improve they can compete amongst the best in the 9th District.
“The E-Gals are coming off a 15-17 season,” Payne said. “We are a young team and ready to gain valuable experience needed to be playing our best basketball at the end of the season.
