TEUTOPOLIS — Kelsey Niemerg may have had off nights offensively this past season, but her defense never did.
A senior guard on the Teutopolis girls’ basketball team, Niemerg was arguably the best defender in the area this past season.
She always guarded the toughest assignment and nearly won every battle she was tasked with.
To her, it’s all effort and awareness.
“My effort and awareness are what make me a great defender. I always try to stay low, move my feet, anticipate plays and communicate,” Niemerg said. “I haven’t always been this type of defender; it’s something I’ve worked on over the years and have taken a lot of pride in improving.”
Niemerg, one of two Effingham Daily News Girls Basketball Defensive Players of the Year, finished the regular season with 54 steals, 41 fouls drawn, two charges and a whopping 14 blocks.
She also had 90 deflections, a number that increased in the postseason.
“Sometimes, you don’t always see all the stats. Kelsey had over 100 deflections and just caused havoc on top of our press and within the top of our half-court defense,” head coach Laurie Thompson said. “She is long, anticipates well and jumps and reads well. Kelsey was always a good defensive player, but I really thought she stepped it up this year.”
That defense helped the Lady Shoes win their first sectional championship since 2020.
Heading into the season, Niemerg knew her team was capable of achieving such a goal.
“I felt excited and hopeful,” Niemerg said. “I wanted to grow individually as a player by becoming more confident, improving my decision-making and contributing in whatever way my team needed. As a team, I believed we had the potential to compete with anyone if we played together and stayed focused.
“I truly thought we had what it took to make it to state, but unfortunately, we fell just short.”
Thompson said that Niemerg’s defense altered game plans.
Her impact was immeasurable.
“She caused a lot of teams to rearrange how they were going to start their offense,” Thompson said.
Niemerg’s defense also led to her offense most nights.
Thompson said that her defense got Niemerg “fired up.”
“I think it got her going,” Thompson said. “When Kelsey came out defensively-focused, I think it got her fired up. She definitely wanted to play defense.”
Niemerg was a part of an undefeated state championship-winning eighth-grade girls’ basketball team at Teutopolis Junior High School.
Thompson always believed that her defense would translate at the next level.
“I always thought Kelsey was going to be a good defender, even in junior high. As you progress and get older, teams get better; people don’t realize that,” Thompson said. “I felt like Kelsey wanted to be the one to take that challenge [of shutting opponents down].”
A defensive-minded coach, Thompson’s teams always boast strong, disciplined units on that side of the floor.
She also sets high standards for her teams; Niemerg wouldn’t want to play for anyone else and represent any other school.
“Playing for Coach Thompson and representing Teutopolis means a lot to me. Our program has high standards and being part of that tradition is something I take seriously,” Niemerg said. “Coach Thompson has always pushed me to do my best and those expectations have helped me grow not only as a player but also as a person.
“Representing Teutopolis means showing pride in my community and playing with strong sportsmanship.”