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During his five years as girls’ basketball coach at Whittell High, Nathan Tolbert turned the program into a perennial playoff team. The Warriors see no reason that won’t continue under Tom Esposito, who replaced Tolbert last spring.
“I have a good feeling that we’re all very driven and that we’ll be a good team,” said senior guard Tierney McKool, a second-team Northern 2A selection last year. “Coach (Esposito) ... we all really like him so far and think that he’s made good improvements. I am definitely rooting for us to go to state.”
Whittell hasn’t been to the state tournament since 2006, when it lost in the semifinals after winning the school’s only regional title. If the Warriors are to duplicate that team’s success, they will surely have standout performances from returning starters.
McKool averaged eight points, six rebounds and four steals per game last year for the Warriors, who went 9-15 and lost in the regional tournament play-in game. Junior post player Isabel Concha-Foley should be one of the league’s top players after averaging 10 points and 11.6 rebounds per game as a junior.
Senior point guard Gabriella Tracy will also lead what Esposito calls an “up-tempo” offense and also plans on freshmen Megan Mize and Nina Jimenez having integral roles. Jimenez and returner Lupe Martinez, a senior, will share point guard duties with Tracy.
“Those three starters returning are really hardcore players, really tough kids,” said Esposito, who was an assistant for six years under Derek Allister for the South Tahoe High boys’ varsity program from 2001 to 2007 and a STHS girls’ coach before that. “The thing about the Whittell kids is they are so committed and are very intelligent. They also work really hard. If I didn’t tell them to go home, they’d probably stay in the gym all night.
“We’re a smallish team. We’re going to be a little up-tempo. Our post players are pretty quick, so we can run. And because all the Whittell kids do more than one sport, they all came into practice in very good shape.”
The Warriors have two games this week — starting with Lee Vining tonight — and two preseason tournaments before opening Northern 2A play on Dec. 16 against Silver Stage in Zephyr Cove. By then, Esposito hopes to have a better idea of how his team stacks up against the rest of the league and if Whittell can advance to the postseason for the sixth consecutive season.
“Right now, I don’t know anything about the league, so I can’t gauge how we’re going to do,” Esposito said. “But I can tell you that I am excited about the the season and these kids. They are really showing signs of improvement in practice. We have a long way to go, but that’s what preseason is all about, to see about what direction we need to go in.”
WHS lay ups
Coach: Tom Esposito, first year
Last year: 9-15 overall, 4-7 league, lost in first round of regional tournament
Key returners: Isabel Concha-Foley, Tierney McKool, Gabriella Tracy
Key losses: Brittney Makara, Kendra Koskin
Home Opener: Today vs. Lee Vining, 5 p.m.
2008-09 WHS Schedule
Date Opponent Time
Today Lee Vining 5 p.m.
Tuesday Yerington 6 p.m.
Dec. 5-6 Coleville tourney TBA
Dec. 11-13 Virginia City tourney TBA
Dec. 16 Silver Stage 6 p.m.
Dec. 18 Yerington 6 p.m.
Dec. 29-31 Vacaville tourney TBA
Jan. 3 Lovelock 3 p.m.
Jan. 6 No. Tahoe 6 p.m.
Jan. 9 Silver Stage 6 p.m.
Jan. 10 Lovelock 3 p.m.
Jan. 17 Battle Mtn. 3 p.m.
Jan. 23 Hawthorne 6 p.m.
Jan. 27 Incline 6 p.m.
Jan. 30 Hawthorne 6 p.m.
Feb. 2 No. Tahoe 6 p.m.
Feb. 4 Virginia City 4:30 p.m.
Feb. 11 Incline 6 p.m.
Feb. 17-21 Regionals TBA
Feb. 27-28 State TBA
Note: Home games are in bold.
“I have a good feeling that we’re all very driven and that we’ll be a good team,” said senior guard Tierney McKool, a second-team Northern 2A selection last year. “Coach (Esposito) ... we all really like him so far and think that he’s made good improvements. I am definitely rooting for us to go to state.”
Whittell hasn’t been to the state tournament since 2006, when it lost in the semifinals after winning the school’s only regional title. If the Warriors are to duplicate that team’s success, they will surely have standout performances from returning starters.
McKool averaged eight points, six rebounds and four steals per game last year for the Warriors, who went 9-15 and lost in the regional tournament play-in game. Junior post player Isabel Concha-Foley should be one of the league’s top players after averaging 10 points and 11.6 rebounds per game as a junior.
Senior point guard Gabriella Tracy will also lead what Esposito calls an “up-tempo” offense and also plans on freshmen Megan Mize and Nina Jimenez having integral roles. Jimenez and returner Lupe Martinez, a senior, will share point guard duties with Tracy.
“Those three starters returning are really hardcore players, really tough kids,” said Esposito, who was an assistant for six years under Derek Allister for the South Tahoe High boys’ varsity program from 2001 to 2007 and a STHS girls’ coach before that. “The thing about the Whittell kids is they are so committed and are very intelligent. They also work really hard. If I didn’t tell them to go home, they’d probably stay in the gym all night.
“We’re a smallish team. We’re going to be a little up-tempo. Our post players are pretty quick, so we can run. And because all the Whittell kids do more than one sport, they all came into practice in very good shape.”
The Warriors have two games this week — starting with Lee Vining tonight — and two preseason tournaments before opening Northern 2A play on Dec. 16 against Silver Stage in Zephyr Cove. By then, Esposito hopes to have a better idea of how his team stacks up against the rest of the league and if Whittell can advance to the postseason for the sixth consecutive season.
“Right now, I don’t know anything about the league, so I can’t gauge how we’re going to do,” Esposito said. “But I can tell you that I am excited about the the season and these kids. They are really showing signs of improvement in practice. We have a long way to go, but that’s what preseason is all about, to see about what direction we need to go in.”
WHS lay ups
Coach: Tom Esposito, first year
Last year: 9-15 overall, 4-7 league, lost in first round of regional tournament
Key returners: Isabel Concha-Foley, Tierney McKool, Gabriella Tracy
Key losses: Brittney Makara, Kendra Koskin
Home Opener: Today vs. Lee Vining, 5 p.m.
2008-09 WHS Schedule
Date Opponent Time
Today Lee Vining 5 p.m.
Tuesday Yerington 6 p.m.
Dec. 5-6 Coleville tourney TBA
Dec. 11-13 Virginia City tourney TBA
Dec. 16 Silver Stage 6 p.m.
Dec. 18 Yerington 6 p.m.
Dec. 29-31 Vacaville tourney TBA
Jan. 3 Lovelock 3 p.m.
Jan. 6 No. Tahoe 6 p.m.
Jan. 9 Silver Stage 6 p.m.
Jan. 10 Lovelock 3 p.m.
Jan. 17 Battle Mtn. 3 p.m.
Jan. 23 Hawthorne 6 p.m.
Jan. 27 Incline 6 p.m.
Jan. 30 Hawthorne 6 p.m.
Feb. 2 No. Tahoe 6 p.m.
Feb. 4 Virginia City 4:30 p.m.
Feb. 11 Incline 6 p.m.
Feb. 17-21 Regionals TBA
Feb. 27-28 State TBA
Note: Home games are in bold.
