Yelle, Geneva set sights high again

In another dazzling season by the Geneva girls basketball team that ended with 31 wins and 1 loss last year, it seems strange to focus on that one loss.

Yet that’s just what Geneva’s best player did.

Kat Yelle used the 60-54 setback to Hersey in the Class 4A Streamwood supersectional to add a little extra motivation for her senior year as if Yelle needed any more motivation.

“I’m trying to encourage the team to believe that we can do whatever we want,” said Yelle, who has been a central figure on teams that are 63-3 the last two years and 84-10 in her three years on varsity.

Yelle upped her scoring average from 9.3 points a game as a sophomore to an area-best 14.1 last year and won the captain award of the Daily Herald All-Area basketball team.

It wasn’t just her scoring that won her the award, in fact that might have been the fourth most important aspect Yelle, an Ohio University recruit, brought behind her assists (3.6), steals (3.1) and leadership. Senior guard Sammy Scofield also returns to give Geneva as good of a backcourt as you’ll find.

Geneva will need all that again this year from Yelle and Schofield as the Vikings look to replace their inside game of Lauren Wicinski, Kelsey Augustine and Sam Dudman.

Wicinski averaged 14.8 points and 14 rebounds in the postseason last year. It’s not going to be one player who can replace those numbers but a team effort.

Ashley Santos, who played small forward last year in her first year at Geneva after transferring from Bartlett, averaged 10.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals a game. Look for her rebounding numbers to jump.

Santos’ younger sister Sidney, a freshman, would have taken one of the post positions but suffered a torn ACL on the opening day of practice and is out for the season.

Senior Kelsey Pease and either sophomore Sami Pawlak or Brooke Binette could round out the Geneva starting five, or look for the Vikings to go with a more guard-heavy lineup with the likes of seniors Katelyn Allen and Dori Rogers.

Other players who will battle for a spot in the rotation include junior guard Rachel Hinchman, the younger sister of Emily, a starter on Geneva’s 2009 state team. Junior guard Stevie Fanale and junior guard/post Stephanie Sharpe also are in the mix.

“We will be deep at the guard positions off the bench, and may even play with four guards at times depending on the opponent,” Geneva coach Gina Nolan said. “I’m sure we will go at least 8 or 9 deep off the bench, but that’s hard to say now, especially with new starters at the 4 and 5 positions. The sophomore Pawlak impressed us this summer and has continued to be impressive the first week of practice.”

Everyone who has gotten used to see Geneva play an entertaining, uptempo style of basketball will get more of the same against a challenging nonconference schedule that includes Montini, Fenwick and a yet-to-be-determined opponent at the McDonald’s Shootout.

“Our style of play won’t change drastically,” Nolan said. “We won’t be able to pound the ball inside as much without Lauren and Kelsey, but we have guards who love to drive to the basket and are good at it. Defensively we will use our quickness and athleticism to try and cause havoc for other teams.”

Quick facts

Coach: Gina Nolan

Last year: 31-1, won Western Sun Conference, Class 4A St. Charles North regional and Class 4A Huntley sectional. Lost 60-54 to Hersey in Class 4A Streamwood supersectional

Players to watch: Kat Yelle, sr., G; Sammy Scofield, sr., G; Ashley Santos, jr., F