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“You have to change the culture of the program to understand that they can play at that level,” Wildcats coach Darris Gattis said. “It just takes that kind of commitment. We still want to keep building. Even though it was great that we did all that, we wanted to do more. We felt like we should’ve done more.”
Entering his fourth season at Springfield, Gattis knows his program is on the right path to success. The key has been building a basketball culture, said Gattis, who previously coached at Columbus Brookhaven before it closed.
About 70 percent of his players are playing AAU basketball and have dedicated themselves to improving in order to compete, he said.
“We’re getting there,” Gattis said. “It’s been a buy-in from the community, the parents and the kids that basketball is a 24-hour-a-day, 12 months a year commitment to be able to play at the level in the conference we’re in.”
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Springfield returns highly touted sophomore guard Mickayla Perdue, who finished second in scoring in the Greater Western Ohio Conference last season at 22.0 points, 5.3 assists, 5.1 steals and 4.3 assists per game en route to being named D-I All-Ohio honorable mention.
She’s already gotten multiple scholarship offers from Division I programs. Perdue’s work ethic has rubbed off on her teammates, Gattis said. She shoots between 300 and 500 shots per day, he said.
“She wants to win, she wants to play year-round,” he said. “It’s contagious and that’s what we need to compete in the division. … She outworks everybody. She’s in the gym constantly.”
Springfield graduated eight players and three senior starters, but returns another starter, sophomore guard Destiny Wells. Seniors Takoya Massey, Jai’Cee Carson and Ariana Rinehart are also returning for the Wildcats. Gattis credited last year’s senior class for helping the underclassmen buy into the program, which propelled them into this season, he said.
“The team came back like it was business as usual,” Gattis said.
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The Wildcats should also get a boost from several move-ins and freshmen, Gattis said.
Senior forward Trinity Morton-Nooks moved to Springfield from Xenia, where she averaged 13.6 points and 5.8 rebounds last year. Sophomore guard Jada Bass also moved to Springfield after playing at Columbus Africentric a year ago, while 6-foot-4 sophomore center Courtney Rice also moved to Springfield after playing at Southeastern last season. Camaya Calloway and Lauren Tate will also see action as freshmen, he said.
Perdue, Bass and Wells form one of the best trio of sophomore backcourts in the state, Gattis said. Bass, Wells and Morton-Nooks should help Perdue on the offensive end of the floor.
“We’re very fast and we’re very defensive,” he said. “We can play that game, it’s just a matter of can we execute at a high level (to win in the GWOC). We’re going to compete, that’s for sure.”
The Wildcats will face stiff competition against the Greater Western Ohio Conference National East Division. Its four conference foes — Beavercreek, Centerville Fairmont and Wayne — all won at least 15 games last season. Beavercreek, Fairmont and Wayne all advanced to the district finals.
“I think it’s the toughest division in the state,” Gattis said.
They’ve faced several tough teams in the preseason, including defending state champions Columbus Africentric (D-III) and Toledo Rogers (D-II), Gattis said.
“We don’t run from anybody,” he said. “That’s the only way we’re going to get better. The girls stepped up to the challenge to go up against that type of competition.”
The Wildcats open the season tonight at home vs. Ben Logan and host Beavercreek on Wednesday.
SEVEN PLAYERS TO WATCH
Presley Griffits, Tecumseh, Senior: Recently committed to IUPUI, averaged 20.5 points last season.
Mikala Morris, Kenton Ridge, Senior: Recently committed to Quinnipiac, averaged 22.5 points and 19.6 rebounds a year ago.
Corinne Thomas, Tecumseh, Senior: Recently committed to West Liberty University, averaged 23.3 points and made 45 percent of her three-point attempts as a junior.
Kasey Schipfer, Mechanicsburg, Junior: Averaged 21.5 points last season, earning Ohio Heritage Conference North Division player of the year honors.
Reagan Ware, Greenon, Junior: Averaged 19.1 points for the Knights.
Mickayla Perdue, Springfield, Sophomore: Averaged 22.2 points for the Wildcats, who won a school-record 11 games.
Abbigail Peterson, Catholic Central, Sophomore: Averaged 15 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists for the Irish.
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