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Sports
Bright future ahead : Sports : Oswego Ledger-Sentinel : Hometown Newspaper for Oswego and Montgomery, IllinoisBright future ahead
| Injury-free veteran group returns for Oswego girls' basketball
| by Kristin Sharp
| 11/15/2012
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For a team that struggled to find its identity throughout much of last year, the 2012-13 season is a dramatic change for the Oswego girls' basketball team.
Three returning sophomore starters and two senior veterans create a young but experienced Panther squad ready to improve off last year's 11-17 finish.
One year ago, most of Oswego's projected starters were sidelined by injury, including four-year starter Paige Harmon.
Harmon, who now plays at Western Illinois, missed most of her senior season with a broken foot, which forced sixth-year head coach Chad Pohlmann to start three freshmen into the starting lineup.
One year older, point guard Amri Wilder, forward Erin Sinnott and forward Jordan Campbell are back and ready to continue what they started last winter.
"I know more now and I know what to expect," Campbell said. "I'm still young, but it's better. I definitely have more responsibility now in my second year. I need to step up more, scoring and being a leader on the court."
The trio will be joined by junior foward Kelsey Nelson, who missed part of last season with an injury, and senior forward Becca Anderson, who saw time in the starting rotation as well last season.
"They've been working hard. They've giving 100 percent and more," said Anderson, who is a co-captain with Wilder this season. "We've been working our butts off. We're working hard and trying our best."
Wilder led the team in scoring for the 2011-12 season, averaging 9 points per game and a team-high 58 assists and 47 steals. Sinnott - the only player to play in all 28 games last season - averaged 6.3 points, while Campbell averaged 7.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
"Erin is probably one of the hardest-working players I've ever coached, in any sport," Pohlmann said. "She works incredibly hard and has improved her game. She has a good all-around game.
"Jordan is really going to be interesting to watch because she has such physical skills and was hurt all summer. She got healthy toward the end of the summer, played AAU and developed."
Teammates have also noted Campbell's return to the court, creating even more optimism this winter.
"With Jo (Campbell) back - she was injured all summer - her being back is such an extra push for us," Sinnott said. "It's good momentum that we were successful over the summer, adding her to it, it's going to be great."
Pohlmann also welcomes the return of junior guard Amy Annala, sophomore guard Siarra O'Neill and junior guard Krissy Klingbeil, who impacted the team last year.
"It all started in the summer. Everybody was healthy and we had incredible commitment from Day 1," Pohlmann said. "It's exciting. The girls are finally taking ownership at this group of girls are going to be here for a while. They've taken more responsibility. We're definitely expecting to improve. We have a good core of solid basketball players."
Like every season, Pohlmann's focus remains on a strong defensive presence on the court. His players, regardless of age or class, certainly understand that in the preseason.
"Pohlmann's main focus has always been defense. You won't play if you don't play defense," Sinnott said. "Definitely this year we did focus a lot on offense. Last year was laying down the structure. Everything is coming together. Out offense is coming together and our defense we've been practicing forever and it's second nature now."
Oswego's first test of the season arrives in the Panthers' debut at the WarHawk Tournament hosted by West Aurora and Waubonsie Valley
The Panthers will begin play on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Waubonsie Valley against Naperville North before playing West Aurora next Monday at 7:30 p.m. at West Aurora.
On Nov. 23, Oswego will face Waubonsie Valley at West Aurora at 11:30 a.m. before facing DeKalb at 10 a.m. on Nov. 24 at Waubonsie Valley to complete the round robin format. Minooka is also present, but will not face Oswego in tournament play. Winner is determined by best tournament record.
"Geneva was a great tournament at the time, but now we need to play some of the sectional teams that we may possibly face," Pohlmann said. "Waubonsie, West Aurora and Naperville will all be in our sectional."
Oswego will begin Southwest Prairie Conference play on Dec. 4 with a trip to Minooka. The Panthers finished 6-8 last year with Romeoville and Oswego East sharing the SPC title. Despite a 2-4 SPC start last season, Oswego won three of its last five including a win over Oswego East.
"We had some success this summer and did well, so I'm sure people will know we'll be fairly decent," Pohlmann said. "Last year we beat Oswego East at their place and we were fairly competitive with Neuqua Valley at the regional. People know we have a lot of players back, so I'm sure people will be more aware."
Oswego will continue to host its annual Holiday Classic Tournament Dec. 8-15, and will meet Willowbrook, Yorkville and St. Charles East in non-conference play this season.
"We want to win the tournament that we host, and we want to beat the teams that we didn't beat last year, like Romeoville and Plainfield East. And, of course, we want to beat Oswego East because that's an important game," Wilder said.
"We've got a lot of experience and we're still underclassmen," Sinnott said. "The teams are going to be gunning for us because we have a really bright future ahead of us."
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