“I do believe in my heart and head that the depth of parity should be greater this year,” Matula said. “I’m very hopeful that’s the case. I’d love to see it get back to where there’s five, six, seven teams that are just banging each other.”
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On paper, his Comets are the team to beat in 2018-19. Mason was first in the GMC coaches poll and got eight No. 1 votes, while West was picked second and received two votes at the top.
Sycamore was third, followed (in order) by Princeton, Fairfield, Hamilton, Lakota East, Oak Hills, Middletown and Colerain.
“It’s real simple for me,” West coach Andy Fishman said. “I always look at how the last game went, and Mason beat us in our final game (in the Division I regional final) last year. Based upon that and knowing that they have four or five kids back, obviously they deserve the nod.”
For Mason, having the GMC’s top player is a good place to start. Senior guard Sammie Puisis, who will play at Florida State University next year, averaged 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.9 steals and 1.4 assists per game as a junior, shooting 48.6 percent from the floor, 41.8 percent from 3-point range and 82.6 percent from the free-throw line.
Junior point guard Megan Wagner is also back this season. Matula said junior guard Alanna Carter was more of a spot player last year, but had an outstanding summer and has committed to the University of Akron.
On the down side, Mason won’t have senior guard Sade Tucker this year because of a knee injury. Junior forward Bethany Moser, a soccer player for the Comets, is also trying to work her way back from an upper ankle sprain.
“We are in a situation where we’re developing some different roles for kids,” Matula said. “We’ve been scoring the ball pretty well in transition. Our guards are pretty explosive.”
West’s roster has had some significant turnover this year. Fishman said part of that is the high expectations within the program.
“Not everyone’s willing to work every play to play the game of basketball,” he said. “There are many out there who never reach their full potential for a reason — they’re not willing to put in the work. We base our decisions on what we see daily and every moment as opposed to just how someone can perform in a game, especially a game that doesn’t matter.”
It’s a typical group of Firebirds in that speed, quickness and defensive pressure are the staples.
Junior forward Nevaeh Dean (Virginia Tech) and senior guard Sydney Benning (Drury) are college commits, with Benning transferring from McAuley. Freshman guard Chance Gray is already making a huge impact.
Sycamore has an experienced, athletic crew as well and has a pair of Division I players, junior guard Aliah McWhorter and sophomore forward Brianna Counts. McWhorter has committed to Wake Forest — Counts has a D-I offer.
Princeton also has a lot of returning talent and has added a highly regarded 6-foot-4 freshman center in Kyla Oldacre.
Fairfield is loaded with experience and led by senior guard Zahrya Bailey, and Hamilton has one of the GMC’s top returnees in senior forward CiCi Riggins, who led the conference in scoring (20.5) last year.
At Lakota East, Dan Wallace is the only new head coach in the GMC. The Thunderhawks have some experience and return three players (senior point guard Logan Fox, sophomore forward Maddy Bley and sophomore forward Kelsey Siereveld) who missed significant time with injuries last season.
Oak Hills is another team with a solid returning core and has added junior guard Dy’Jhanik Armfield, a transfer from Shroder Paideia and the top scorer (18.0) in the Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference last year. She’s got offers from Youngstown State and Morehead State.
Middletown has some promising newcomers, and sophomore guard Addison Bess is back after missing the entire 2017-18 season with an injury.
Colerain is coming off a winless season and will build around freshmen Abby and Kiley McNally.
THE PRESEASON POLL
Here’s how the coaches voted in the preseason Greater Miami Conference girls basketball poll, with point totals and first-place votes (in parentheses):
1. Mason (8) 98
2. Lakota West (2) 92
3. Sycamore 69
4. Princeton 68
5. Fairfield 67
6. Hamilton 48
7. Lakota East 42
8. Oak Hills 29
9. Middletown 26
10. Colerain 11
A LOOK AT THE TEAMS
Here’s a team-by-team preseason look at the GMC teams, with information provided by the coaches:
1. MASON COMETS
Coach: Rob Matula (14th season)
2017-18 Record: 24-4 overall, 15-1 GMC (first place, tied)
Returning Starters: Sammie Puisis (6-2 senior guard), Megan Wagner (5-7 junior point guard)
Top Newcomer: Alanna Carter (5-9 junior guard)
Team Strength: Backcourt quickness, ability to score in all five positions
Area Of Concern: Depth
2. LAKOTA WEST FIREBIRDS
Coach: Andy Fishman (22nd season)
2017-18 Record: 25-3 overall, 15-1 GMC (first place, tied)
Returning Starters: Nevaeh Dean (6-2 junior forward), Jaydis Gales (5-8 senior guard), Bryana Henderson (5-5 senior guard)
Top Newcomers: Sydney Benning (5-7 senior guard), Dominique Camp (5-8 senior guard), Chance Gray (5-9 freshman guard), Keiara Gregory (5-7 freshman guard)
Team Strengths: Speed and quickness, transition play
Area Of Concern: Multiple players new to system
3. SYCAMORE AVIATORS
Coach: Derek Christerson (sixth season)
2017-18 Record: 15-10 overall, 10-6 GMC (fourth place, tied)
Returning Starters: Brianna Counts (6-0 sophomore forward), Maddy Davis (5-8 senior guard), Karisa Grandison (5-6 senior guard), Aliah McWhorter (6-1 junior guard)
Top Newcomers: Viviana Clayton (5-7 freshman guard), Leah Riley (5-7 freshman guard)
Team Strengths: Togetherness and team-first mentality, depth, athleticism
Areas Of Concern: Youth at several positions, loss of size to graduation
4. PRINCETON VIKINGS
Coach: Jill Phillips (15th season)
2017-18 Record: 12-9 overall, 11-5 GMC (third place)
Returning Starters: Darian Braddix (5-7 junior guard), Ashley Davis (5-7 junior guard), Jacquelyn Hinesmon (5-8 senior guard), Willow White (5-6 junior guard)
Top Newcomers: Jordaynia Ivie (5-8 sophomore guard), Kyla Oldacre (6-4 freshman center)
Team Strengths: Post size, athleticism
Area Of Concern: Mix of veterans and young players
5. FAIRFIELD INDIANS
Coach: David Loper (eighth season)
2017-18 Record: 14-10 overall, 10-6 GMC (fourth place, tied)
Returning Starters: Zahrya Bailey (5-0 senior guard), Journee Hicks (5-3 junior guard), Kelis Jones (5-7 senior guard), Shaniyah Reese (5-3 senior guard), Maddie Schaeffer (5-10 senior forward)
Top Newcomer: Karlee Mills (5-3 junior guard)
Team Strengths: Experience, work ethic
Area Of Concern: Defense
6. HAMILTON BIG BLUE
Coach: Harry Phillips (third season)
2017-18 Record: 10-13 overall, 6-10 GMC (sixth place)
Returning Starters: Kira Ash (5-8 junior guard), Anna Cardwell (5-6 junior guard), Samantha Fuller (5-7 senior guard), CiCi Riggins (5-11 senior forward)
Top Newcomers: Jayden Isaacs (6-0 freshman forward), Leah Smith (5-6 sophomore guard)
Team Strengths: Senior leadership, increased quickness
Area Of Concern: Lack of size
7. LAKOTA EAST THUNDERHAWKS
Coach: Dan Wallace (first season)
2017-18 Record: 5-19 overall, 4-12 GMC (eighth place, tied)
Returning Starters: Megan Hatfield (5-9 senior guard), Jessica Motley (5-8 senior forward), Lily Rupp (57 senior guard), Jordan Stanley (5-7 senior guard)
Top Newcomers: Maddy Bley (5-11 sophomore forward), Logan Fox (5-7 senior guard), Kelsey Siereveld (6-2 sophomore forward)
Team Strengths: Cohesiveness, experience (11 returning players)
Area Of Concern: Lack of speed compared to the rest of the GMC
8. OAK HILLS HIGHLANDERS
Coach: Chris Gramke (second season)
2017-18 Record: 7-16 overall, 4-12 GMC (eighth place, tied)
Returning Starters: Camryn Gramke (5-3 senior point guard), Kelsey Listerman (5-6 sophomore guard)
Top Newcomer: Dy'Jhanik Armfield (5-7 junior guard)
Team Strengths: Experience, athleticism at the guard position
Area Of Concern: Smallest team in the GMC in terms of size
9. MIDDLETOWN MIDDIES
Coach: Kevin Aldridge (fourth season)
2017-18 Record: 9-14 overall, 5-11 GMC (seventh place)
Returning Starters: Sa'Mill Calhoun (5-2 junior guard), Makina Gibson (5-6 senior guard), Arianna Layne (5-5 junior guard)
Top Newcomers: Addison Bess (5-6 sophomore guard), Naya Franklin (6-2 senior center), Ariana Thomas (5-9 freshman forward), Kaliah Wilson (5-6 freshman guard)
Team Strengths: Quickness, hustle
Area Of Concern: Lack of size
10. COLERAIN CARDINALS
Coach: Ernie Hayes (second season)
2017-18 Record: 0-23 overall, 0-16 GMC (10th place)
Returning Starters: McKinzie Buckmaster (6-0 senior forward), Korrin Haines (5-5 senior guard)
Top Newcomers: Abby McNally (5-9 freshman forward), Kiley McNally (5-8 freshman guard)
Team Strength: Defense
Area Of Concern: Lack of experience
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