Troy girls basketball returns every starter from last year's struggling squad
<p>Junior forward Breanna Opland passes to Kelli Lundin in first quarter action vs Eureka.</p>
The good news for Troy girls basketball: All the starters return from last year’s team.
The bad news? Last year the team went 0-18, said head coach Kara Sevalstad, and the players are pretty much all that is returning.
“We can only go up from last year,” Sevalstad laughed. “Everything is new. The stuff wasn’t working last year, so I thought we might as well change it.”
With five seniors on the squad, Troy will not lack for experience. The biggest obstacle will be getting over the hump and winning a game.
The sooner the Lady Trojans can do that, the sooner they can begin working as a team to a more impressive record.
So while new offensive and defensive schemes will be in the works, Sevalstad brings in another change – an historic one.
Sevalstad is the first ever woman head coach of the Lady Trojans basketball team.
“I don’t feel any additional pressure,” said Sevalstad, a W.F. Morrison teacher. “I think a woman coach is a good fit. With a guy coach, they aren’t sure what lines they can cross. I can yell at them and it’s OK.”
Sevalstad was an assistant coach last season, and while she isn’t promising anything outlandish, she is expecting more from her players than last season.
The expected starting five are seniors Jordan Williams, Michaela Curry, Breanna Opland, Alanah True-Silva and junior Kellie Lundin. Senior point guard Holli Higgins will come off the bench as a sixth-man who will contribute heavily.
Strong forward Jordan Williams, after making the all-conference team last season, will use her height (a tall 5-foot 7-inches) and experience to likely lead the team in scoring.
But it won’t be an easy season. Eureka and Thompson Falls will have powerful squads and will battle one another for the conference title.
Troy will open its season against Stillwater Christian, and Sevalstad expects just to try and mesh.
“They are a tall and athletic team,” she said. “Since everything is new, we want to run a lot of basic plays.”
As for the season?
“I expect them to win more games than last season,” Sevalstad said. “We have a very smart group of girls who work hard.”
Troy plays Stillwater Christian at home 2 p.m. Friday.