The Penn girls basketball team is growing as a young squad
Penn girls' basketball coach Kristi Ulrich knows her relatively young team still has plenty of growing to do.
She says though that it's a group that is making that an enjoyable experience as a coach.
"The thing that I really like about this team is its culture," said Ulrich, now in her 14th season in charge of the Kingsmen. "They are very coachable, team-oriented and together as a unit.
"It's a group that makes it fun to be in the gym with every day."
The Kingsmen sit at 5-3 overall after a 53-39 loss at Crown Point Saturday night. Penn, which has won five straight Class 4A sectional titles, has lost to the Bulldogs in the regional each of the past two seasons.
Ulrich says she has seen moments of strong play from her team, which has also lost to Class 4A No. 1 Washington (86-45) and Lake Central (43-37). The Kingsmen led Class 3A defending state champion Washington 20-11 after the first quarter before the nationally ranked and undefeated Panthers stormed back.
"We are just trying to grow every day as a team," said Ulrich, whose roster has just three seniors. "As a group, we do not have a ton of experience. We are still trying to put the pieces together.
"We play a tough schedule and are just trying to gain from each experience we have. We've played some good basketball, but we need to put four complete quarters together. We are striving for consistency and that is part of the process."
The Kingmen, who lost top scorer Jada Patton from last year's 19-7 team, are led by the quartet of sophomore guard Jessa Troy (14.9), senior Peyton Brooks (10.9, 5.9), senior Julia Economou (9.7, 6.2) and junior Lauren Walsh (9.3). Economou had 15 points, Troy 10 and Walsh nine in the loss at Crown Point.
"What I like is how these players have taken some of our girls with lesser experience and showed them about the culture we want in our program," Ulrich noted of her core of experienced performers.
The Kingsmen are relying as usual on solid work on the defensive end, a trademark under Ulrich. The Penn mentor was known as a blue-collar player during her playing days at Mishawaka High School and Bethel College.
"I still feel that our defense can be better, more consistent," noted Ulrich, who is 301-46 at Penn with a Class 4A state title in 2016. "One of the things we have to understand too as a team is that we can impact the game in more than just one way as a player.
"We also need to execute at a higher level and just show more patience on a consistent basis offensively."
Penn, which will be in the Concord Sectional at season's end, hosts NIC opponent Marian Friday night. The Class 3A No. 5 Knights are 8-1 overall and 5-1 in the NIC and have won five in a row since a loss to Washington. Marian plays Culver Academy in a non-conference game Tuesday night prior to its short trip to Penn.
"It's a huge game," said Ulrich, whose squad lost 54-47 to Marian last season. "They are playing well and Foster (Marian senior guard Nevaeh Foster) is putting up big numbers. We just have to play great team defense, hit shots and rebound."
Panthers set for test
A measuring stick.
That's what awaits Washington at week's end. The undefeated and No. 1 Panthers will face No. 1 and defending Michigan Division 1 state champion West Bloomfield in the Best of Michigan Holiday Classic on Saturday evening. The two-day showcase event, featuring teams from Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Washington, takes place at Belleville (Michigan) High School.
Washington improved to 9-0 by downing Fort Wayne South 92-17 Saturday. Senior guard and Maryland recruit Amiyah Reynolds posted her fourth career triple double with 11 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists. Sophomore guard Ryiah Wilson tied her career high with 20 points and had 12 steals, her third game this season with at least a dozen picks.
The Panthers, who boast an average margin of victory of almost 49 points a game, play NIC foes New Prairie Tuesday night and Clay Thursday night prior to traveling to the Michigan event Saturday.
Senior guard Rashunda Jones, who is headed to Purdue, paces the Panthers at 19 points a contest and Amiyah Reynolds is at 12.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 6.8 assists per contest. Sophomore sensation Kira Reynolds is at 18.6 points, 13.6 rebounds and 4.8 blocked shots per game with Wilson at 9.1 points and 7.1 steals per outing and sophomore Monique Mitchell at 12.1 ppg.
Washington returned four starters from last year's 28-3 Class 3A state title team. The Panthers closest game so far was a 51-35 win over Lake Central in the second game of the day at the Lake Central Classic to open the season back on Nov. 5.
Conference standings
Northern Indiana Conference (through Saturday games)
Washington 9-0 (5-0), Marian 8-1 (5-1), Elkhart 6-4 (4-1), Penn 5-3 (3-1), Adams 5-3 (4-2), Bremen 4-5 (4-2), Glenn 4-7 (3-3), New Prairie 6-4 (2-3), Saint Joseph 2-6 (2-4), Jimtown 2-8 (1-5), Clay 2-8 (0-5), Riley 1-8 (0-6).
Northern Lakes Conference (through Saturday games)
Warsaw 7-2 (1-0), Wawasee 6-3 (1-0), Goshen 4-3 (1-0), NorthWood 4-3 (1-1), Northridge 8-2 (0-0), Mishawaka 6-3 (0-0), Plymouth 3-6 (0-1), Concord 3-7 (0-2).
Other area teams: Fairfield 9-1 (3-0 NECC), South Central 7-1, Bethany Christian 6-1, LaVille 7-2 (1-0 HNAC), Triton 7-3 (0-2 HNAC), Michigan City 1-7 (0-2 DAC), LaPorte 0-9 (0-2 DAC).
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Indiana high school girls basketball: Penn working through growing pains
