Every team is beatable but it’s up to us to put in the work and be prepared every night. We’ve got to play with intensity and as a team, because I think we’ve played more basketball collectively together.”

Senior Paige Potter

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The Lady Tigers kick off the winter season at the Upton Tournament on Friday and Saturday, December 13-14.

LUSK – Four seniors with over 200 varsity games will help ease the transition for new Niobrara County High School (NCHS) head girls basketball coach Andie Hubbard. Seniors Tessa Manning, Paige Potter and Gracie ZumBrunnen have all made major contributions over their first three years, while Hannah Krein is in her third season as a Lady Tiger.

“This is the most seniors we’ve had since we began as freshmen,” Manning said. “Trying to find Coach Hubbard’s intensity coming from the boys has been different,  but it’s early.”

Hubbard acknowledged the need for scorers to emerge and hopes to use the height and experience her seniors bring. Potter and ZumBrunnen both hover around six feet with Krein not far behind. Manning’s not quite as tall but has played in more varsity games than the other three. 

“I think right now we’re still testing the waters and figuring each other out,” Hubbard said. “Switching from the boys to the girls is definitely different and it’s an adjustment, but we’ll be fine.”

Brittin Bruch is the lone junior and while currently battling injury issues, is back after a few years away from playing. Sophomores Heidi DesEnfants, Addie Harvey, Sarah Krein and Marleigh Smith were varsity letterwinners last year and expected to contribute. A handful of talented freshmen enter the program and will hopefully allow more junior varsity and C squad games.

“There’s a lot of things the coaches are talking about that are basically the same skills we’ve been learning for years,” Krein noted. “Now we just have to put it all together.”

“I think we’ve got the athletes to compete, but there’s a mindset that since we’re dropping to 1A it will be easier,” Hubbard added. “There are some really good teams out there and we have to be prepared.”

Lingle-Fort Laramie has played in the last two 2A state title games and is in 1A again. Southeast defeated Upton in the 1A championship last season and all three return experienced rosters. The west side has the likes of Cokeville, Little Snake River, Encampment and Burlington – all with strong programs.

“Every team is beatable but it’s up to us to put in the work and be prepared every night,” Potter said. “We’ve got to play with intensity and as a team, because I think we’ve played more basketball collectively together.”

Cora Fitzgerald is Hubbard’s assistant coach this year, while managers Haven Hendricks and Skielynn Bouissey return to take care of everything else. With many of the girls coming off a successful volleyball season, momentum is expected to help the Lady Tigers.

“I think Andie coming off great success with the boys, and to play off what we did this fall all plays into the process of what we’re trying to build here,” Fitzgerald added.

The Lady Tigers open the season at the Upton tournament and will face Arvada-Clearmont Friday morning at 10 a.m. before a 1 p.m. game against Midwest. On Saturday they take on Hulett at 3 p.m.