With mix of youth and experience, Kaneland poised to take leap forward

After an 8-game improvement last year to reach 13-15, the Kaneland girls basketball team is poised for another leap forward this winter.

That's because Ernie Colombe's squad not only welcomes back much of last year's varsity team but they have a junior class that went 25-1 at the sophomore level last year and a sophomore class that went 24-0 as freshmen.

All that talent is making the fight for playing time very interesting.

"Our team is a very competitive," Colombe said. "We feel like we have a lot of players who are interchangeable, which will allow us to get a lot of players involved."

Returning All-Area selection Kelly Evers is back to give Kaneland a presence in the paint at center. Forwards Emma Bradford and Marina Schaefer and junior guard Lexee Guerra also are back.

"The girls are working real hard in practice and are a great group of people," Colombe said. "We have players that get along real well on and off the court, which has led to a lot of unselfish play."

Among the newcomers Kaneland is counting on are juniors Ashley Prost, Allyson O'Herron, Sarah Grams, Brooke Harner, Alli Liss, Aly Harner, Ashley Castellanos and Alex Lyons. Sophomore forward Lauren Zick and senior center Liz Barnette, a transfer from Indian Creek, also will get an opportunity.

Colombe expects defending Northern Illinois Big 12 East champion DeKalb to be the team to beat.

"We think the conference will once again be very tough this year," Colombe said. "We think we will be competitive night in and night out this season. Rochelle, Sycamore, Yorkville and Morris are always tough. We are stressing that we are going to take the season one day at a time because each game will be tough."

Kaneland opens the Immaculate Conception Tournament Saturday against Regina Dominican and also will play Plainfield South, Lisle and a team to be determined at the tournament.