Youthful Falcons to challenge at the top | Girl's Basketball Preview

After four seasons without a playoff berth, one might assume a 4-1 start would please Kentlake basketball coach Scott Simmons. But that’s not the case.

“We haven’t played up to what we are capable of,” said Simmons, in his 10th season at the school. “We haven’t even come close.”

Simmons and the Falcons are dreaming big these days thanks to a strong ensemble of youth that includes talented freshman Aniston Denckla, who Simmons said might already be the squad’s best player.

“She does everything pretty darn well,” Simmons said. “She’s going to be a massive building block for us.”

The Falcons beat Kentridge on Dec. 9 and sees an opportunity to jump to the top of the Northeast conference. Simmons said that overcoming Kentridge’s strength, talent and experience, as well as Tahoma’s talent, depth and organization, will be key.

“We need to understand that defense wins championships and it’s the little things that make the big things,” Simmons wrote in an email to The Reporter. “How well we develop and grow defensively will define how deep we go into the playoffs (should we make it).”

Simmons led his group to five straight playoff appearances before the recent four-year draught. He called his team “deep,” despite there being only 20 students total making up the varsity and junior varsity squads — with 12 of those 20 being underclassmen. Simmons called this one of the top two most talented groups he’s coached.

Meanwhile, Kentwood, coming off a 20-8 season in 2014, is also starting fresh with just one returning starter. The Conks have started the season 0-5, as of Monday, and head coach Lisa Ashley said in an email that the biggest obstacle for her group is “being young and believing that we can play with the more experienced teams.”

KENTLAKE

2013-14 Record: 9-11

Returning Starters:

• Sydney Peterson (Soph., Point Guard)

• Jada Leonard (Soph., Guard)

• Kylee Johnson (Soph., Forward) Goals:

“Win the Northeast division, host a district playoff game and qualify for regionals and the state tournament,” Simmons wrote.

Newcomers to Watch:

• Aniston Denckla (Fresh., Power Forward)

• Stephanie Delhumeau (Senior, Center)

KENTWOOD

2013-14 record: 20-8

Returning Starter:

• Zaria Jones (Junior, Guard)

Goals:

“To take one game at a time leading us to districts, then regionals onto state,” Ashley wrote in an email. “We may be young but we have the same goals as all the other teams out there.”

Newcomers to Watch:

• Kelsey Fast (Soph., Forward)

• Haylie Price (Junior, Forward)

• Christy Ngueyn (Soph., Guard)

• Olivia Oberst (Soph., Guard)

TAHOMA

2013-14 record: 14-13

Returning Varsity (quotes by head coach Keith Wasberg):

• Rachel Paulsen (Junior, Point Guard) – “Excellent scorer and passionate leader”

• Kaelan Shamseldin (Soph. Guard) — “Shooting and perimeter defensive threat with great motor”

• Madi Bucy (Junior, Forward) — “Unique abilities inside and outside”

• Brianna Aldridge (Soph., Forward) — “Super competitor who scores and makes plays from everywhere”