Senior center Taylor Kohls will be one of the returning letter winners expected to lead the Gillett Secondary School’s girls basketball team during the 2014-15 season.
The Tigers came within one game of capturing the WIAA Division 5 regional championship last season but lost in the final to visiting Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran.
“She wants to lead this team to a conference championship. She just has to believe in it,” said second-year coach Justin Daul.
Gillett (11-13, 10-6 Marinette & Oconto Conference) finished in a three-way tie for third place in the conference. Peshtigo and Coleman shared the conference title.
The 5-foot-11 Kohls missed the first half of her junior season after injuring her knee. She played 14 of the Tigers’ 24 games, tabulating 82 points. She posted a season-high 11 points in two games, a 41-23 victory against Lena and a 42-34 win at Wausaukee.
“Kohls is now entering her third year. She has extremely high expectations on herself,” Daul said. “She would like to live up to the expectations she has yet to live up to yet. This is her year and she knows it.”
The center will be among four returning seniors, including guards Maddy Wibur, Rebecca Wolfe and Amanda Loberger.
Daul said Wilbur will share the role as vocal leader with Kohls. Wilbur averaged 3.6 points per game.
“Maddy is a fireball. She causes a lot of problems defensively, she has a good shot and she is willing to do anything to be on the court,” Daul said.
Sophomores Erin Balthazor and Amber Francois will receive additional minutes, along with newcomer Victoria Loberger.
“We are a pretty senior-laden team. We got two underclassmen in Balthazor and Loberger that are going to get significant playing on my level this year,” Daul said.
The 6-foot Loberger will help relieve the pressure on Kohls in the paint, he said.
“Victoria is going to play a big role in spelling Taylor in getting some minutes, and I think personally, she is going to be one of those important players,” Daul said.
Kohls said defending champion Peshtigo, which defeated the Tigers by 28 and 35 points last year, will be the team to beat in the M&O again this year.
“I really want to beat Peshtigo,” she said.
Gillett lost three letter winners from last year’s squad: Nicole Rotter, Kara Brennan and Marissa Sherman.
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