After a 17-4 record and shared conference title a season ago, Racine Lutheran girls hoops looks to have their leadership advance them towards another run.
After losing their top two scorers from a season ago to graduation, Racine Lutheran currently has four players that average in double figures led by Nevaiah Bell-Tenner, who averages around 15 points per game. Bell-Tenner averaged 11.6 points per game a season ago, and plans to play at a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) school in Missouri after graduation. So far in her career, she has scored 652 points and 362 rebounds.
“She is one of the best players I’ve coached,” head coach Steve Shaffer said of Bell-Tenner. “Her leadership is instrumental and brings so much to our team. They are the intangibles that you just wish every player had.”
Ellie Jaramillo and Sarah Strande average 10 points per game. Julia Kellner is the big person on the boards averaging 14 rebounds per game for the team.
“Ellie and Sarah now step into roles, where last year they were more supplemental players, and now get to take over leadership,” Shaffer said of Jaramillo and Strande. “They are learning to be leaders and learning from Nevaiah on what leadership is.”
Shaffer thinks the Metro Classic is very balanced and thinks the leadership of Bell-Tenner, Strande, and Jaramillo will be crucial to competing in the conference. Currently, Martin Luther and Prairie School sit above Racine Lutheran with undefeated conference records.
“Their leadership and getting everyone on the same page in practice is what is crucial,” Shaffer said. “Getting everyone to practice at that intensity level to translate that over, and that is that consistency that we have to work out.”
Racine Lutheran currently sits at 5-5 overall and is 4-1 in the Metro Classic. The team will play conference leader Martin Luther right out of the holiday break on Jan. 8th at home.
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