After magical season, Geneva has pieces to do it again

If only we all had Gina Nolan's problems.

You are the coach of the Geneva girls basketball team coming off the best season in school history - make that any Tri-Cities school's history - in 2008-09.

Three starters return from that team that went 32-2 and finished fourth in Class 4A, the first Geneva girls team to reach state and first of any Geneva basketball team boys or girls to get there since 1963.

Those three returning starters, guard Kat Yelle and post players Lauren Wicinski and Kelsey Augustine, would be enough to anchor any team with state aspirations.

Then there's Sam Dudman, Sam Scofield and Myra Yelle, key players in last year's rotation all ready to take on bigger roles this season.

Then you bring up the junior class, and all they did was go 27-0 last year on the sophomore team. Katelyn Allen, Brook Binette and Dori Rogers could be go-to players on several other area squads.

All that - and we haven't even got to Ashley Santos yet, the sophomore transfer from Bartlett who has kept Nolan busy this fall fielding calls from college coaches at Wisconsin, Michigan State, Purdue and Florida. She averaged 13.3 games as a freshman last year for Bartlett.

Is there any chance Geneva could change the basketball rules to go from playing five-on-five to 10-on-10?

Because the Vikings have the depth to do it. How much talent does Nolan have to work with? Four of the top six players in her rotation are Division I athletes - Yelle (Ohio), Wicinski (NIU, volleyball), Augustine (SIU-Edwardsville, volleyball), Scofield (Notre Dame, soccer) - and a fifth, Santos, will be.

Nolan said she isn't worried about trying to find time for everyone for a couple reasons. One, Geneva plays a fast-pace style that is conducive to rotating a lot of players in. There also figures to be plenty of lopsided games when she can go to her bench.

Above all, Nolan said her players have bought into team goals ahead of any individual ones.

"As competitors and athletes you want to play more," Nolan said. "In some situations last year reserves played more than starters because of what the score was.

"I think kids have the big picture at heart and not about themselves individually and their stats and accomplishments. It's about helping the team, unselfish play and getting out and running and show that attitude."

When you graduate a player like Taylor Whitley, Geneva's all-time leading scorer, you are supposed to have to rebuild.

With so many other talented players to work with, it helps Geneva that it doesn't have to turn to one player to replace what Whitley could do.

"We don't need to replace her player for player," Nolan said. "We have kids that can spread it out. Lauren and Kelsey are taller and stronger, they both played great this summer, they will be go-to players. With Kat and Ashley and Myra and Sammy, they are all ready to take it to the basket. We have a lot of elements. Nobody will have to feel they have to pick up all 20 of those points she (Whitley) contributed. We can share the load."

Last season several of the Vikings pointed to the confidence they gained from summer basketball as one reason they had so much success.

Nolan had them at it again this past summer at the Purdue team camp for the fourth straight year. Geneva had its best showing yet, beating Carmel (Ind.) for the title.

As much as the results on the court were pleasing, Nolan was just as happy to see the girls playing cards together and developing the chemistry that was such a big part of last year's success with seniors like Whitley and Emily Hinchman.

"The kids spent a lot of time together this summer," Nolan said. "They seem to be enjoying each other, enjoying their roles. Not everyone is going to play the same time and as a staff we stress to them that our second team only makes our first team better. Everyone has important roles. We all have the same common goal of success at the end of the year and have another special season."

Nolan said the transition has been smooth so far with Santos coming in, a versatile player who can play anywhere from the one to the four with tremendous athletic ability around the basket.

"From what I've seen they are getting along great, accepted her," Nolan said. "I have a great group of girls so I'm not surprised at all. She seems to be enjoying herself.

"On the court she's only a sophomore but physically she looks older and plays much older than a sophomore. She's a great player, a nice addition to the team. We have a lot of talent. I don't think any one person feels pressure to be a go-to player all the time."

The Vikings start their season this weekend at their own tournament and return to the Benet Christmas tournament while adding the McDonald's Shootout in January to their schedule.

The real measuring stick comes in the postseason. After raising the bar last year, Geneva is determined to clear it again - if not push that bar even higher.

"Without me having to say anything, a lot of the girls are talking we can do this (state) again," Nolan said. "We know what it takes. We're committed to the work that it takes. We're not taking anything for granted."

jlemon@dailyherald.com