The North Butler girls basketball team will seek to make strides from a 3-18 finish last season, as practices for a new season begin on Monday. The Bearcats are projected to have 19 players on the roster, with the addition of six players from Rockford through a sharing agreement between the school districts this season. Head Coach Jordan Nolz shares how the addition of players from Rockford will help the team.
“They’re all sophomores and freshman, but it adds a competitive part to the game. It’s forcing our kids to have to compete for spots and not just get a spot because they’re out, which is really good. It also helped us get a JV team this year, that we were going to be close to not having. When sickness and injury comes, we get really close to not having one as the season gets in,” says Nolz. “The kids have been really good at open gyms, meeting each other and being nice to each other about everything. I think it’s going to help build good relationships and help these kids for the future as well.”
Among returners, sophomore Zoey Thompson led the team in points (10.1), rebounds (7.1) per game and total assists (39) and steals (58) last season. Sophomore Eden Wix was second on the team with 6.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. Senior Jady Thorne added 5.5 points per game and provided a three point threat with 25 triples. Nolz describes the style of play the Bearcats will strive for.
“I think it’s important to establish that. Our girls hit the weight room really hard. We’re not the biggest team in height. We have some very strong girls. We’re looking to be gritty both offensively and defensively, play with physicality and play with confidence. That’s kind of the general flow we’re looking at this year, is a team that’s not scared to be physical. When you come into the gym, you’re going to know that you’re going to have to play that level of physicality.”
North Butler will open their season at Belmond-Klemme on Monday, November 24.
