IMA SPORTS

Coming off one of its most successful seasons in years, the Maumee girls basketball team recently wrapped up an important summer schedule in June while trying to answer a big question — what will the Panthers do without All-Ohio player Lucy Porter?

Porter, who accounted for nearly 25 percent of the scoring and 30 percent of the rebounds last year, leaves a giant hole for first-year head coach Brad Kuron to fill.

This summer, the returning varsity players started to learn how to play without Porter and develop into their own players, according to Kuron.

“It was nice to see some of them come into their own,” Kuron said. “Seeing Taylor (Smith) and Izzy (Yancy) take bigger leadership roles, keeping the kids focused. Reign (Hurt) took a big step there, in a leadership role.

“For the returning varsity kids, it was nice to see them come into their own, like, ‘I can score, I can rebound, we can do this.’ It was nice to see that confidence start to grow.”

In addition to those three, Kuron also mentioned Taryn Pyle and Myla Jordan for having a strong summer. His biggest surprise came from seniors Penny Farley and Hailey Servais.

“They took huge steps with their confidence, just being able to get more time and get out there to show what they can do, be comfortable on the floor,” Kuron said.

However, the talk among the players at the beginning of summer was one of doubt. No one was expecting to have a successful season in the coming winter. Kuron put a stop to that idea.

“We’re going to be better than you guys think, but that same thought you had is what everyone is going to think,” Kuron said. “We’re going to be just fine. We just have to go out and be us. You’ve got to be you and play your game.

“Once they got rid of that mindset, it was nice to see. It’s tough to replace 18 and 10 and the leadership. … But we have those kids. We have Taylor, we have Reign and Izzy Yancy. We have those go-to kids that are going to have to develop those mindsets. It was nice to see them take on those roles this summer.”

The Panthers played a varsity and junior varsity schedule at the Rossford Summer League again this season.

They also played in 3-on-3 leagues at Port Clinton and Oak Harbor. Kuron said that experience helps the players learn how to play offense and defense in space while allowing them to work on their individual games.

“We were there to build basic skills and some continuity between players,” Kuron said. “In 3-on-3, you have to be able to play in space and 1-on-1. You have to lock down and play defense.”

The basketball program will take a bit of a break in July and August as the gym floors at the high school get refinished and many student-athletes get ready for the fall season.

Kuron will get open gyms going back in September and October, and he hopes to get a good turnout from both the players in fall sports as well as those who aren’t.

“I’m asking them, if they want to come in for a half-hour, only come in for a half-hour,” Kuron said. “I’ve talked to kids who aren’t in a fall sport about how big it is for them to come to open gyms and work on basic skills and work their game.”

Photo courtesy of Pride of the Panthers
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