PANORA — Twice in the final five seconds of their Regional Final last season the ball bounced softly on the rim, each time falling away, leaving the Panorama girls tantalizingly close to an appearance in the state tournament.
With no seniors having departed from that 22-2 team, the returning Panthers are, to put it mildly, even more set on playing at the Wells Fargo Arena to close the new season.
“I think they probably started thinking about it right away,” veteran head coach Dan Druivenga said. “They know they have the talent to get there, but they are also wise enough and experienced enough to know it will not be easy, and they are going to have to earn it. No one is going to step aside and just let them have it — they have to earn it.”
The Panthers were 15-1 in WCAC play last season and enter this season ranked sixth in Class 2A.
The team averaged 54.9 points per game in their last campaign while yielding only 37.4 ppg. They hit 94-of-342 3-point shots (27.5 percent) and shot 39.1 percent overall while making 319-of-435 free throws. Those numbers were the 12th most attempts but the fourth-most made at the line in 2A, a class-best 73.3 accuracy that was fourth-best among all classes.
The Panthers pulled down 31.9 rebounds per outing, had 265 assists and made 305 steals while blocking 72 shots. They committed 288 turnovers, with only six teams in 2A having fewer.
Junior point guard Bailey Beckman led the team with 15.5 ppg. She hit 35-of-127 (27.6 percent) on 3-pointers while draining 108-of-135 (80 percent) of her free throws. Beckman grabbed 86 rebounds, made 42 assists and led the team with 66 steals.
Senior Devyn Kemble averaged 14 points per contest, had 124 rebounds, 39 assists and 63 steals. She knocked down 31-of-96 (32.3) 3-pointers and was one of the deadliest shooters in the state at the foul line, burying 83-of-96 (86.5 percent) freebies.
Junior Morgan Johnk provided 9.1 ppg and 146 rebounds while having 35 assists, 35 steals and 31 blocks. She hit 41-of-60 (68.3 percent) at the stripe.
Seniors Hope Wilderman (4 ppg, 84 rebounds, 36 assists), Nicole Rolfes (2 ppg, 56 rebounds) and Kellie Prince (1.8 ppg, 38 steals, 31 assists) will continue to be key contributors, Druivenga said.
“This a team, it isn’t one star or two really good players and a supporting cast,” he stressed. “When all the parts are clicking we are going to give people trouble, but we need contributions from everyone to make that happen, and the girls understand this.”
Senior Faith Powell has undergone the long process of recovering from knee surgery and while able to practice in limited fashion so far, Druivenga is hopeful she will return to the lineup early in the second half of the season.
“We just are not sure right now, and there is no way I am going to push her to come back and risk re-injury,” he said. “Faith can really help us, but we need her at 100 percent, so we are going to be patient, although I know it is driving her crazy — she wants to be out there.”
Powell scored 7.5 ppg and shot 56-of-73 (76.7 percent) at the stripe. She had 100 rebounds, 54 steals and 46 assists last year.
Juniors Brooke Halterman and Vallerie Storesund and sophomore Anna Holloway are among others Druivenga said will be able to help the team.
“We think we can do some special things this year, but we understand how thin that margin can be,” Druivenga said. “I am looking forward to seeing what these girls are capable of.”
Panorama opens play Nov. 21 against visiting Gilbert.
