By DAVID COOK
Led by a talented and experienced senior class, the DeWitt girls basketball team is among the top teams in the state this season.
As of mid January, the Panthers were ranked No. 2 in the state in Class A. The Panthers won eight of their first nine games, the lone loss coming against Haslett, the No. 1 team in the state in Class B.
“We are very pleased with the effort so far,” coach Bill McCullen said. “We’ve had big wins early over local teams like Grand Ledge, East Lansing, and St. Johns. Over the holiday break in December, we had a couple exciting and emotional wins over Waverly (by 3) and Ann Arbor Huron (by 11), who are both ranked in the top 10 for Class A.”
A pair of seniors have been pacing the offense. Senior forward Abby Nakfoor is averaging 13.9 points per game, while senior point guard Claudia Reid is putting up 10.7 points and 7.7 assists per game. Both players have already committed to play in college next season, with Nakfoor headed to Ferris State University and Reid headed to Princeton University in the Ivy League.
DeWitt also has plenty of balance this season. Junior center Lilly George is averaging 9.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Senior guards Maria Moss (6.1 points) and Cayce Palmer (4.7 points) have also been solid contributors, while senior Alex Bilbo has been the team’s sixth player and is averaging 4.7 points off the bench.
“This team has great chemistry, on and off the floor, and plays unselfishly,” McCullen said. “While lacking in size, we have out-rebounded most opponents and run the floor effectively.”
The Panthers have a chance to avenge their lone loss when they travel to Haslett on Feb. 13. The Panthers will also be gearing up for the state tournament during Febuary.
“At this point, we are obviously focused on trying to get back into the league race after our loss to Haslett,” McCullen said. “Once the tournament arrives, we play in one of the toughest Class A districts in the state, so it will be a battle. Our senior class is highly motivated to do everything they can to finish their careers with a run in the tournament.”