NEW MARKET — A very young, but determined Southmont team may be the team in the Greencastle girls’ basketball sectional that no one really wants to play right now.
Why?
The Mounties have put it all together and are playing their best basketball heading into Tuesday rematch with North Putnam.
The game will be a rematch of a Nov. 26 game in which the Cougars dominated the Mounties (9-11 heading into Friday night’s game vs. Lebanon) by a 66-41 score. That 25-point loss was the second worst loss of the season, the only one by a bigger margin was a 28-point loss to Danville.
It was during this time (the first 7 to 8 games of the year) that sophomores Claire Kessler and Kinzie Wood were going through injuries. Since then, the team has gotten healthy and began to play better.
“I think we got healthy and also gained confidence in our offense,” Southmont coach Dan Burkman said about the second half turnaround. “The girls are more confident overall. I think our game against Parke Heritage was a turning point as well. Although we didn’t win, we were right there. We are playing with more poise, energy and enthusiasm. I think that comes from experience and confidence.”
After suffering through a six-game losing streak right before Christmas the Mounties have seemed to gel. In the last six games the team has been effective on offense averaging 58.6 points a game. The team has scored 50 plus points in six straight games. Prior to this stretch the team had only reached the 50-point barrier three times in the first games.
The Mounties may have one of the youngest starting lineups in the state. Normally, the team starts four sophomores and a freshman.
Southmont is being led by freshman Ella Barry who is having a breakout initial season. Through 20 games she is averaging 19.7 points a game.
Barry is not alone. Sophomore Layla Gomez gives the Mounties a solid inside presence and is averaging 10.9 points a game and leads the team with 8.3 rebounds a contest. Molly Williams checks in with a 4.8 average. Classmates Claire Kessler and Emily Link have also had big games recently. Freshman Kaylee Turner has added a big spark off the bench recently.
The one thing the Mounties have struggled with this season has been turnovers. Southmont has averaged 22 turnovers a game.
The Mounties are looking for its first sectional title since 2014.
