Hoops preview: Mee, Martin back for Loggers
Paul Sievers/The Western News Libby's Evi Cernick takes a shot during a scrimmage on Friday.
Although the Libby High School girls basketball team really shouldn’t be characterized as a tall team, the Lady Loggers just might be looking down on some opponents this season. The Northwestern A features some tall girls here and there, but overall, it has the appearance of a short league.
Returning starter Jackie Mee, who found herself earning all-state honors last season, stands 6-foot even. Teammates Jaime Gilden and Alex Kulbeck are a few inches shorter at 5-10.
“What I like about the team is our athleticism … long arms and quick kids with quite a bit of endurance. They can also be tenacious,” said Jim May, entering his 13th season as head coach and 18th with the program. “The thing that’s scary about it is the lack of experience we have, especially at the guard position. We’ll work on it every night in practice.”
Mee, junior, and Brittany Martin, senior, are the only two returning starters and both play on the wing. Mee averaged 18.6 points per game last season. Martin was an all-conference second team pick a year ago and is the only senior on the roster.
Gilden offers a little varsity experience. Another wing, she saw action with the varsity last season as a freshman.
May is trying to figure out who fits best on the floor at guard – a position that Martin has played. Among the younger players, top guard prospects include juniors Evi Cernick and LaRona Luscher. Sophomores Logan Best and Alicia Martin are also in the mix. And Kulbeck, sophomore, will see time at wing.
“We have some spots we’re inexperienced at but we have a tremendous amount of potential,” May said.
Those players represent a workable group for May and his coaching staff. In fact, he thinks the numbers are good to eventually put in quality girls off the bench.
“Right now, we’re playing probably eight or nine kids,” May said. “That’s enough, that’s plenty of depth. Our next best kids are very young.”
The Lady Loggers are coming off a 15-6 season that ended on a down note with a third-place finish at divisionals. As a result, Libby didn’t get into the state tournament.
“Most years, we’re in position to play for a state tournament berth,” May said. “That’s our ultimate goal always.”
Anaconda took top honors last season at state. The last current Northwestern A school to win it all occurred back in 1992 with Ronan. Whitefish came close in 2003 with a six-point loss to Beaverhead County.
“It’s kind of a weird year; I don’t think there are any clear-cut favorites,” May said. “I think Polson and Columbia Falls will be tough, and Bigfork will be tough, too. I see us right in the middle of it and I think we’ll be a lot better at the end.”
The Lady Loggers open the season Friday and Saturday at the Southwest-Northwest Tip-Off Tournament hosted by Hamilton and Corvallis. The girls will face Southwestern foes Anaconda on Friday (3:15 p.m., Corvallis High School) and Stevensville on Saturday (12:30 p.m., Hamilton Middle School).
Varsity Schedule
Dec. 12 Anaconda# 3:15 p.m.
Dec. 13 Stevensville# 12:30 p.m.
Dec. 19 at Bigfork 4:15 p.m.
Dec. 20 Flathead 6 p.m.
Jan. 2 at Eureka TBA
Jan. 3 Whitefish 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 9 Columbia Falls 4:15 p.m.
Jan. 10 Ronan 6 p.m.
Jan. 16 at Troy 4:15 p.m.
Jan. 17 Polson 6 p.m.
Jan. 22 at Glacier 5 p.m.
Jan. 24 Bigfork 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 29 at Whitefish 4:15 p.m.
Jan. 30 Eureka 6 p.m.
Feb. 5 at Columbia Falls 4:15 p.m.
Feb. 12 Troy 4:15 p.m.
Feb. 14 at Ronan 6 p.m.
Feb. 21 at Polson 4:30 p.m.
# Southwest-Northwest Tip-Off Tournament at Hamilton and Corvallis.
Note: Divisional Tournament scheduled for Feb. 26-28 at Glacier High School. State Tournament scheduled for March 5-7 at Butte.