2005-2006 LOWELL Girls Basketball Preview

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

(11-18-2005)

2006  LOWELL Red Devils
13-8 in 2005...tie-4th (LAC)
15-9 in 2004...tie-3rd (LAC)
11-12 in 2003....tie-6th (LAC)
6-16 in 2002...tie-11th (LAC)
6-15 in 2001....tie-6th (LAC)

 

Senior guard Julie Swisher drives past sophomore center/forward Kimberly Bell in a recent practice. The Lowell Lady Red Devils return three seniors to the 2005-2006 squad.  (All photos by Mark Smith)
Coach Patti McCormack watches in background as senior guards Swisher and Ashley Cosentino (in Red Devils basketball t-shirt) drop back on defense in a recent Lady Devils intra-squad practice. Defense should again be a strength of the Lady Devils basketball team.
Varsity Coach Patti McCormack (left, in red sweatsuit) gives instructions to senior guard Julie Swisher in practice. 5-10 sophomore Kim Bell (right, calling for ball) is defended by 5-6 freshman Mallory Pratt in practice.

PRE-SEASON PROSPECTS: Lowell lost two guards before the season began when senior Whitney Magley (back) and Kelly Johnson (knee) chose to sit out with surgery related rehabilitation.  Magley did not play last season either and is still recovering from major back surgery.  Johnson (11.4 points, 109-133 (.819) free throws, 3.4 steals) had knee surgery after the volleyball season and may be physically able to return in late January.  Up front, Lowell is good with 5-10 senior Rachel Theil and 5-10 newcomer Kim Bell.  Another 5-10 sophomore, Gabby Goetz, will come off the injury list next month giving the Red Devils a three-player rotation up front.  Senior guards Ashley Cosentino and Kelly Swisher are experienced as the point and shooting guards.  The Red Devils need to develop wing players and another point guard as the season progresses.  The East Chicago sectional is one of the state's toughest with LAC favorite Munster, Gary city favorite West Side and top-10 independent East Chicago.

QUESTION MARKS:   One very big one.  Depth.  Lowell starts the season with seven varsity caliber players.  That's one more than the Devils had last year but it isn't very many.  With 10 players, they could upset one of the favorites at the sectional.  But those eighth, ninth and 10th solid contributing varsity players are not on Lowell's bench right now.

STRENGTHS:  Size.  When Gabby Goetz comes back, Lowell will have three big strong forwards to rotate up front.  Fouls on Rachel Theil (6.8 points, 6.7 rebounds) could cripple Lowell last year and that is no longer the case.  Julie Swisher (11.2 points, 38 of 98, 3-point goals) is a great shooter who will scare opponents out of zone defenses.  In the open court, Ashley Cosentino (10.0 points, 82-112, .732 free throws) can go by anyone with the ball and score.  Rachel Theil is a powerful rebounder who can go head-to-head with any pivot player Lowell will see.  The Devils have good players, just not enough of them.

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:  The 16-team Lake Athletic Conference (LAC) Tournament the week of Dec. 6-10.  Lowell's annual three-game, two-day Christmas endurance test Dec. 16-17 when the Devils will host Calumet on Friday night and play twice in the annual Carroll County Classic against Carroll and Rossville (3-0) Saturday.  Nov 29 hosting nonconference rival and neighbor Crown Point (in a game scheduled to be broadcast on www.USA-365.com).   Jan. 10 at home hosting 6th-ranked Merrillville.  Jan. 21 at defending LAC champ Highland and Jan. 28 at LAC favorite Munster.

Varsity coach -  Patti McCormack - 15th year   (185-107)

Assistant varsity coach: Katie Porento
Junior varsity coach: Greg Holdeman
Freshman head coach : Scott Coil

Lowell varsity coach Patti McCormack was asked to preview and profile the 2005-2006 Lady Red Devils varsity basketball team.  Here's what she had to say, as compiled by Mark Smith for the Lake County Star.

ASHLEY COSENTINO  -- 5-3  senior   -  Guard

I've been touting Ashley as the fastest point guard in the area. She's the fastest one I've seen.   She's our floor leader and she'll break the press for us. We want her taking a lot more shots and think about scoring more. We have two quiet leaders in Swisher and Ashley but they've stepped it up (vocally) so far.   If they keep going in the direction they've been, we'll be in good shape.

RACHEL THIEL -- 5-9  senior   -  Center

I've never seen the level of commitment out of any kind that I've seen out of Rachel.  Even Don (Bales) will tell you that leaders like her do not come along often.  I don't know how she does it.  It's not that she's a three-sport athlete, she's academically so bright.  And we'll see her come in sometimes with just a few hours sleep and it doesn't affect her.  Now, she's in 'Junior Miss.'  That's a big time commitment.

GABRIELLE (GABBY) GOETZ -- 5-9  sophomore  -  Center

We're waiting on Gabby.  We're optimistic.   If you know Toby (older brother Toby Goetz, the Lowell Class of 2005 - 2,000 yard rushing tailback), that's what Gabby is like.  We saw some great things about her before she got hurt.  She is physical.  She bangs you and there's nothing finesse about her.  She'll get on the floor after the ball.  It's been hard for her to sit out.  She did not get to play volleyball.  She cannot play right now but she'll be released (for play) at the end of November.

KIM BELL -- 5-10  sophomore   -  Forward

Kim Bell is one of the best finesse posts we've had.  We're utilizing her in the high post.  She has a very good shot and she's a smooth player.  Kim is an ideal '3.'  She has a picture perfect shot.  It's a clinic.  If Gabby pans out, she'll be the option on '3.'  Kim (her older sister) had a beautiful shot and she has one just like it.

JULIE SWISHER   -- 5-5  senior  -  Guard

Julie became easy to guard late last year because everyone knew what she preferred to do.  She loves to stop and pop the '3.'  All summer, she worked on her drive.  Going both directions and powering it in there.  She's really improved.  She now poses a threat on the drive as well.  She's chomping at the bit.  She's ready to go.

KATIE HABERLIN-- 5-6  sophomore  -  Forward

Katie's been a really big surprise for us.  In the two scrimmages (intra squad and against Chesterton), she has stood out.  It was an eye opener for us.  Katie has moved up from JV.

MALLORY PRATT  -- 5-6  freshman  -  Guard

John (Golf coach John) Becker thinks she can be the best golfer ever at Lowell and that's saying a lot.  She's got so much potential.  Her passes have to be faster.  She has the natural instincts to know what  to do and where to go.  We just have to get her dialed up to the speed of the varsity game.  She is inquisitive.  She asks a lot of questions.  She wants to get better.

KARA LAMB  -- 5-7   junior  -  Guard

Depending on the lineup that we see, we will start Kara (Lamb) with our front four (Swisher, Cosentino, Theil and Bell) if we need a quicker lineup.  Kara moved up to the varsity late last year and she'll be playing a lot for us this year.

COACH PATTI  -  We're not going to have a huge amount of depth but we do have experience.  The bottom line for us will be endurance. Does the brain keep working when the body is tired? The background hasn't changed since last year, but the complexion has.  You'll see a team similar to last year.  We'll hustle down the court and bank you inside.  We have a couple of pretty decent shooters on the perimeter.  If we need to bang a little more, we'll put Katie Haberlin in there.  We have three seniors.  But we really have three good ones.

People see that our girls are always upset when they leave the locker room, and I know you're not going to believe this, but it's because our kids are so critical of themselves.  The first thing we have to do with this group is accentuate the positive.  I can only think of two occasions when we were very hard on them last year after a game.  Against Hanover and Wheeler.  That's the only time when we were disappointed with our effort.

We have 22 players and 17 are on the honor roll.  That's great, but traditionally smart players tend to want to analyze everything.  Actually this group doesn't.  We've got a lot of kids who will play JV and then sit on the varsity bench if we get in trouble.

We're anxious to get started.  We're excited about what's happening in football.  They've waited a long time.  My ultimate goal is to get a scholarship for all three of our seniors.  I'm happier with this group than any I've ever remembered.  They're good citizens.  Good girls.  Very easy to coach.