Scouting Lisle girls basketball

Lisle

Coach: Dan Murray.

Last year: 18-11 overall, 9-2 (second) in the Interstate Eight Conference; lost to Westmont 36-30 in the Class 2A Lisle regional final.

Top players: Darian Payne, sr., C; Shelby Kretman, sr., G; Kelly Urban, jr., F; Kristina Fernette, jr., G; Skylar Tomko, jr., G; Emma Buchholz, sr., F; Mariah Ortego, sr., G; Chanie Thompson, sr., F.

Scouting report: Considering all that was thrown at the Lions in Murray’s first year, 18 wins was a good place to start. And it was a good stepping stone for Year 2. Lisle returns four girls who started at some point. Lisle’s basketball experience was ramped up over the summer with some 40 games, including for the first time its own league. Payne averaged 10-12 rebounds a year ago, and at 5-foot-10 is a post presence that Murray hopes to get more offensive production out of. Kretman gives Lisle a little bit of everything — perimeter shooting, defense and intelligence on the floor. Urban returns from a knee injury that cut short her sophomore year. Tomko, who “broke out” over the summer, figures at point guard with Fernette sliding over to the other guard spot. “The kids did a nice job buying into what we wanted to do last year,” Murray said. “They’re hungry and want to build on that.”