Sports

Sioux short in numbers, but not in leadership

By Matthew Semisch

12/02/2014

Westhope-Newburg (W-N) girls’ basketball coach Jordan Cooper is banking on strong senior leadership this season, and it’s little wonder why.

Depth will be an issue for the Sioux, which only have 13 girls going out for varsity and junior varsity ball this year. They do have four seniors on the roster, however, and that quartet will be heavily relied upon.

The good news is that the Sioux return three starters from last season, though, and each of them can pack a punch offensively.

Key among them are senior guard Molly Lodoen (11.1 points and 11 rebounds per game last season) and senior center Lauren Mach (12 points, 9 rebounds per game in 2013-14).

Senior guard Amber Hall also started last year and averaged seven points and 3.5 rebounds per outing. Cooper feels that those three seniors, plus backup center Halima Khalifa, have quickly taken to leadership roles on this season’s Sioux squad.

“We haven’t had to spend much time early on here on some of the things that we’ve done for the last four years in terms of the culture of the program,” Cooper said. 

“The older girls here already know the drill and are helping us get that into the younger girls, too, to make sure that we’re all together in practice and make sure that transitions into the games.”

W-N is busy this week with three games. The Sioux will host Our Redeemer’s on Tuesday in Westhope before facing Kenmare and Dunseith in Minot this Friday and Saturday, respectively.