Brazil — LuAnne Anderson had a vision for the Northview High School girls basketball program when she moved up from junior varsity to varsity coach. She wanted scoring, rebounding and defense from every player on the floor. A total team.
Needless to say, it didn’t happen. While the Knights improved to 10-10 and averaged 51 points a game last season, they still relied on one player. Spring Raines did it all leading the Knights in scoring (24 ppg), rebounds (8.6 ppg) and assists (3 apg). Raines and her sister Stormi, as well as Kirstin Kimball, Erica Lee and Shelby Colson, all graduated.
Anderson’s second Northview team will have to come close to her vision of team basketball if the Knights expect to equal or improve on last year’s record.
Senior guards Carlee Bell and Emily Phillips are the lone returning starters. The 5-foot-4 Bell averaged 2.7 points per game and the 5-8 Phillips 5.6 points. In a Western Indiana Conference game against Edgewood last year, the two accounted for 12 points five rebounds and against Sullivan they had 16 points and five rebounds.
“We won’t be able to rely on one person that everybody knows is going to score when she wants to score,” Anderson said.
And that has Anderson excited about these Knights.
“I think all 10 girls mesh really well together and that includes a freshman,” Anderson said.
In the Knights’ practice scrimmage against Linton, Bell and Phillips were joined in the starting lineup by 6-1 junior Chelsey Sampson, 5-7 senior Kelsey Searing and 5-5 junior Lauren Webster. But that may not be the lineup Anderson puts on the floor when the Knights open the season Wednesday night against Terre Haute North in the HI-99/Terre Haute Savings Bank Classic.
Ali Sharton, an athletic 5-8 senior, started practice late after leading Northview’s volleyball team to a sectional title. And Taylor Carter, a 5-9 freshman, could also become a starter.
“I think our unselfish play [will be our strength]. These girls aren’t concerned about who scores, as long as we score,” Anderson said.
Northview’s weaknesses are experience and the lack of size. The Knights have only four players who played varsity minutes and only one player over 5-foot-9. Along with Bell and Phillips, Searing and Sharton saw varsity action last year.
“I think [experience] is going to be more of a factor early in the season. It’s going to be a learning curve in our season,” Anderson predicted.
Due to the lack of experience, and Anderson’s willingness to give every player a chance, a lot of Knights will play early. Junior Jessica LaTourette and sophomores Alyssa Conrad and Kylee McKee will contribute to the Knights’ efforts.
Sampson is the only player with notable size on the Knights’ roster. Coming off the bench as a sophomore, she got pushed around by experienced post players.
But the coach thinks the Knights’ may have a way to make up some of that size. The 5-7 Searing pulled down nine rebounds in the Knights’ win over Sullivan.
“Our girls are athletic and willing to accept the challenge [of playing against taller players],” Anderson said.
Once the Knights get comfortable shooting the ball, shooting could be strength.
“I think we’re going to have a decent perimeter look,” Anderson said.
As for the WIC, Anderson expects defending champion Owen Valley to be strong again and Edgewood to challenge, but also points out Sullivan and South Vermillion should be strong this season.
“I look for [the WIC] to be very competitive,” Anderson said.
Northview schedule
Wednesday — vs. Terre Haute North at HI-99/Terre Haute Savings Bank Classic at West Vigo, 7:30 p.m.
Friday and Saturday — HI-99/Terre Haute Savings Bank Classic at West Vigo, TBA
Nov. 17 — Riverton Parke, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 19 — At Mooresville, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 21 — Terre Haute South, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 1 — At Bloomington North, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 5 — Brown County (WIC), 5 p.m.
Dec. 11 — At West Vigo (WIC), 6 p.m.
Dec. 15 — At Terre Haute North, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 18 — At Edgewood (WIC), 6 p.m.
Jan. 5 — Greencastle, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 8 — Owen Valley (WIC), 6 p.m.
Jan. 12 — At Cascade, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 14 — At Martinsville, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 20 — At Danville, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 22 — South Vermillion (WIC), 6 p.m.
Jan. 26 — Clay City, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 29 — At Sullivan (WIC), 6 p.m.
Feb. 2 — At Plainfield, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 4 — Bloomfield, 7:30 p.m.
WIC — denotes Western Indiana Conference game
Northview roster
Player Ht. Yr.
Carlee Bell 5-4 Sr.
Emily Phillips 5-8 Sr.
Kelsey Searing 5-7 Sr.
Ali Sharton 5-8 Sr.
Jessica LaTourette 5-7 Jr.
Chelsey Sampson 6-1 Jr.
Lauren Webster 5-5 Jr.
Alyssa Conrad 5-4 So.
Kylie McKee 5-6 So.
Taylor Carter 5-9 Fr.
High School
Girls Prep Basketball Previews: Northview moves on from Raines-sisters era, hopes to field more rounded team
- High School
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South tops Oldenburg to win tennis semistate
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New route leads to same place for South girls tennis
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This year, their trip was re-routed through Greencastle (regional) and Center Grove (semistate). So it cnahged to east and more east. -
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Ashlyn Sullivan was 2 for 3 with a double, home run and three RBIs to lead the winning Maroons. -
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South Vermillion softball's late-season surge comes to end
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South takes second, North third at boys track regional
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PREP ROUNDUP: White River Valley baseball holds off Eminence
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Feeling cursed: South bitten in sectional final again
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PREP ROUNDUP: Mundy, Porter, Knight individual regional winners
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Thornton puts away South Vermillion
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North Vermillion avenges losses
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Pats, Knights will meet in sectional
Adler Ingalsbe pooh-poohed his lack of velocity Wednesday night, yet the Terre Haute North pitcher was throwing BBs in the first game compared to Mooresville’s Brandon Topie in the nightcap.
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South outbattles Northview to reach sectional final
Even the best of high school softball pitchers can’t keep all the batters in the middle of Terre Haute South’s lineup down.
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Panthers get 20th win in sectional
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Plainfield Sectional all about parity
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PREP ROUNDUP: North Vermillion in title game
Casey West had a triple and three runs scored to help North Vermillion softball advance to the championship game of the Class A Riverton Parke Sectional on Tuesday.
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North takes second in track regional
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Wildcats advance to sectional softball final; West Vigo falls
Patience, patience.
South Vermillion exhibited great patience, being very selective at the plate and it paid off royally in the fourth inning. -
South, Crawfordsville win in regional tennis semis
Terre Haute South outlasted Fountain Central 4-1 in the first round of the girls high school tennis regional Tuesday, advancing the Braves into today’s championship match against Crawfordsville.
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Braves, Knights open with wins
It was an excellent night for starting softball pitchers to help their own cause Monday night in the Class 4A Northview Sectional.
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Lough dreamt about McMillan
A two-time state finalist in wrestling and a two-time all-Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference football player and wrestler, Tsali Lough of Terre Haute South was named the male recipient of the 2012 McMillan Award on Monday night at South’s Senior Awards Night.
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PREP ROUNDUP: Panthers cruise in sectional opener
Sarah Burnham pitched a two-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts in high school softball Monday evening as host Riverton Parke defeated defending champion Rockville 10-0 in opening-round action at the Class A Riverton Parke Sectional.
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Notable tradition bodes well for Riverton Parke
Located practically in the shadow of a high school that sets one state standard in track and field, Riverton Parke has a tendency to be overlooked in that sport.
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Vikings get 18th win over Shakamak
West Vigo began a busy week of high school baseball Monday on a winning note, defeating Shakamak 6-3.
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Greencastle new site for girls tennis regional
The starting times might prove to be a bone of contention, but otherwise coaches Bill Blankenbaker and Emily Goff are thrilled their respective girls high school tennis teams will begin play today at the Greencastle Regional.
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Northview sectional groups 3 20-win teams
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Terre Haute South softball takes Riverton Parke tournament
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North baseball splits doubleheader with Indy North Central
Some of their incentive could have been sapped a couple of nights earlier, when Center Grove achieved an eight-inning victory over Warren Central to clinch the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference high school baseball championship.
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