Head coach Dani Wright and the Lady Cats just finished their second summer together, and the program has progressed significantly over the past 12 months.
Gilmer High’s summer basketball schedule had a little bit of everything with practices, camps and scrimmages. As with most programs, they used all four alloted weeks in June to complete their offseason regimen.
“From last summer to this summer, it’s a night and day difference,” Wright said. “It’s nice because they have learned a lot, and there is so much to learn in one year. Just at the team camp at Chattanooga, seeing what they were able to retain, I was really proud of them.”
Defense will always be a cornerstone of the Cats’ program under Wright, and June echoed that sentiment.
“We’re working a lot on our defense and changing up our defenses,” Wright said. “A big emphasis has been moving on the pass instead of reacting after the pass has been made. We’ve been working on getting steals and things of that nature. The girls have done such a good job of taking everything they learned last year and putting it to practice.”
GHS plays in the toughest region in Class 3A, so making the most of its time in the gym was necessary. While the Cats did take the court for five practices, most of their summer was spent playing scrimmages. The Cats traveled to Chestatee and White County for games and received more court time at camps in Chattanooga and Fannin County.
“We got a little bit of everything. We played some tough teams, and you want to see that with our region,” Wright said.
“I wanted to see if the kids were going to step up into those leadership roles. We got a really good taste of that. Our seniors really led and our younger players bought in. I’m a firm believer that an athlete-led team is much stronger than a coach-led team. The buy-in was there, the teamwork was good, and they were in it for each other and very selfless. To see them coach each other was really nice.”
Wright pointed to a pair of upperclassmen and underclassmen who stood out over the offseason.
“(Rising seniors) Lucy Ray and Sophia Riblet have done great for us taking those leadership roles,” Wright said. “Two of my sophomores, Chelsey Griggs and Bree Burnette, they’ve really taken it to heart and stepped up. Chelsey knows the game and did a good job playing team ball. Bree was one of our better defenders and she stepped up handling and passing the ball.”
Wright saw improvements in the Cats’ transition game over the summer, and points came easier when layups were available. Continuing to improve their defense will be a key for the Cats when they return to the gym in the preseason.
“I told the girls we’ve got to be faster, so doing that fundamental footwork is what we’ve honed in on to get us faster in every aspect,” Wright said.
Players were also able to sharpen their leadership skills at the annual youth camp. Wright gave her players freedom to plan, coordinate and run each day’s drills and activities.
“To see them teach those younguns just made my heart full,” Wright said. “Because they’re getting that basketball IQ and understanding why we’re doing stuff. They’re not just doing the drill but tuning in on the little stuff to make them better. I was very happy with this summer.”
The Cats do not have any scheduled practices in July. The gym is open, and players have a targeted number of shots per week. Mandatory practices resume in October.