Coaches Corner: Gregory & Williamson

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

Coaches Corner is back for the 2018-2019 winter sports season. Each week, various Van Wert County coaches will be share their thoughts on their respective teams.

This week’s featured coaches are Crestview girls’ basketball coach Mark Gregory and Lincolnview girls’ basketball coach Dan Williamson.

Mark Gregory

It’s been an up and down start to the season for the Crestview Lady Knights (2-2, 0-1 NWC).

Sandwiched around losses to 6-0 Ottoville and 5-0 Columbus Grove, Crestview picked up wins at Fort Recovery and Parkway, and head coach Mark Gregory seems pleased with his team’s progress.

“I am very encouraged by our willingness to learn and grow,” Gregory said. “The girls’ attitudes have been great and they are working very hard.”

“We have a great collective group that cares for each other and are very unselfish. I’m looking forward to see them figure out their roles to make us the best team possible.”

Lexi Gregory leads the team in scoring with an average of 12.5 points per game, followed by Olivia Cunningham (9.8) and Bailey Gregory (7.2). Rebounding has been spread evenly between the Gregory sisters, Cunningham, Kaylee Wolford and Emma Bowen.

As a team, the Lady Knights are averaging 43.7 points per outing, while giving up 42.7 per contest.

“We have to find ways to get rebounds in key situations and be more patient on offense,” Gregory said. “It will come, but we take quick shots too much right now.”

Crestview’s first four games have been played on the road, and the seven of the first nine will be played away from the friendly confines of Ray Etzler Gymnasium. In addition, the Lady Knights will play four games in nine days, starting with Thursday’s home opener against NWC rival Bluffton, and Gregory believes the quartet of games in a short span will only help his team.

“I am looking forward to our first home game of the season this Thursday,” Gregory said. “Experience is a great thing. That is how you truly get better. We have grown a lot already.”

After Thursday’s game against Bluffton, the Lady Knights will play at Fort Jennings on Monday, at Allen East next Thursday and home against Kalida on Saturday, December 22.

Dan Williamson

The Lady Lancers are off to a 2-3 start, with victories over Continental and Lima Central Catholic, and losses to Ottoville, New Bremen and Elida, but head coach Dan Williamson is pleased with what he’s seen so far, especially on defense.

“I am most encouraged with our defense early in the season,” Williamson said. “Our combination of presses and half court defense have been a big reason for our success to this point in the season.”

Entering this week, Lakin Brant leads the Lady Lancers in scoring with 10.3 points per game. Jordan Decker is averaging 8.3 points per game, followed by Brianna Ebel (7.7), Adia Welch, Sierra Adams and Annie Mendenhall (5.3 each) and Lana Carey (4.0). Ebel’s buzzer beating trey sent the game against Lima Central Catholic to overtime, then Welch won it with her own trey in the extra session. Mendenhall scored 11 in Monday’s loss to New Bremen, and Decker scored 20 against Elida.

“We’ve had numerous players step up and play well at many different points this season but our sophomores Annie Mendenhall and Brianna Ebel have provided nice scoring and played very well defensively for us,” Williamson explained.

While encouraged with his team’s play early in the season, Williamson acknowledged he’d like to see continued improvement in a few different areas.

“We need to continue to rebound a better percentage of missed shots as well as lower the number of turnovers we have each game,” Williamson said. “We have also shot the ball inconsistently, which is not unexpected this early in the season.”

The Lady Lancers are in the midst of a busy stretch of games, with New Bremen Monday and Elida last night, the Northwest Conference opener vs. 5-0 Spencerville on Thursday, then next Monday vs. Wayne Trace.

“We are excited about the opportunity to start playing games on a more consistent basis,” Williamson said. “While it’s nice to be able to work on things and get better in practice, competing against other teams is what we really enjoy.”

After a December 20 game at Columbus Grove, Lincolnview will be off until January 3, when the Lady Lancers will play at Ridgemont.