Douglas High senior Ashlyn Greenfield returns after a second team all-region selection last season. Greenfield will be one of three captains this year.
Photo by Ron Harpin.
The Douglas High School girls basketball program has become accustomed to having plenty of depth over the past several years.
This winter will be a bit different for the Tigers after graduating seven seniors that all played big parts in the team’s success since the pandemic.
Douglas, which went 18-9 last season, will feature several names that saw minutes last year, but will be forced into more prominent roles this season.
“We are young. We are really rebuilding. We have some good foundational pieces from last year,” said Douglas coach Jason Carter. “Some girls that have been in the program for a long time but just don’t have a lot of experience.”
Similar to the Tiger boys team, Carter feels that Douglas’ strength this season will be in its ability to be in better shape than its opponents.
DOUGLAS ROSTER
The two main returning pieces from last fall are senior Ashlyn Greenfield and junior Hailee Koontz.
Greenfield and Koontz were second team all-region players last season, as both averaged around seven points per game last season.
“Teams are going to focus on Ash and Hailee,” Carter said. “When they are having an off night, someone else is going to have an opportunity to step up.”
Greenfield will be one of three captains on this year’s team – with Ella Girdner and Annie Hill – and will be one of the Tigers’ main options in the half court.
Koontz thrives in the paint where she tallied more than seven rebounds per game last season.
Girdner and Hill were both contributors last season but will be escalated into major roles this winter.
All three captains may see some time playing point guard as the Tigers’ look to replace several all-region guards who graduated.
“It’s going to be guard by committee,” said Carter. “It could be someone different every night. … Them being the coaches on the floor is going to be more critical than it has been before.”
Carter thinks the Tigers’ tenacity will be critical for success.
Giana Zinke and Madison Frisby are two other players who will be thrust into important roles after receiving limited minutes last season.
“Giana, Madi, Annie and Ella got some minutes, but didn’t get a ton,” said Carter. “They are going to get a bulk of minutes this year.”
Kaylee Bradford is another name to watch on the defensive end of the floor for Douglas this winter while Grace Strabala could also get some playing time at point guard.
Carter said the brand of basketball won’t be terribly different this season, while admitting Douglas will have to outwork teams to get wins.
“I don’t see us getting outworked by anyone. It may not be the prettiest, we may not come out on top, but teams that face us are going to know it’s going to be a battle,” said Carter.
(Tiger junior Hailee Koontz tries to get around a defender last season. Koontz was a second team all-region selection last year. / Ron Harpin)
REGIONAL OUTLOOK
The North could be a bit of a toss up this year as preseason uncertainty is at its usual peak before games start in December.
Bishop Manogue has been the top team for the last several years, but a program shakeup in the offseason has left the Miners as a team that will be hard to judge early.
Spanish Springs will be a tough out, according to Carter, along with the likes of Damonte Ranch.
Carter also complimented Carson and Galena for their ability to put competitive, scrappy teams on the floor.
“Tiffany (O’Day) always does a great job of getting them (Galena) prepared,” said Carter. “Sam (Golden) is doing a good job, too. … I think Carson is going to be up, too.”
Douglas will kick off its season Tuesday, Dec. 3 on the road at McQueen.