After posting an impressive 19-9 record a year ago, the Mankato East girls basketball team will look to senior forward Hannah Full to fill up the stat sheet in the absence of four starters.
“Hannah brings a lot of positive energy to the team,” Cougars’ coach Ana Boever said. “She’s a very hard worker who is constantly trying to help the younger girls. Offensively, she has a really nice shot and is also able to drive to the hole. She’s a leader I can definitely trust.
“Hannah has worked very hard over the summer, and it looks to me like she’s put a little bit more of the game on her back vs. last year where she kind of sat back on a very strong team. She let the game come to her and now she’s realizing she has to be one of those key players for us.”
Full, along with senior guard Maddy Beaty, were the top reserves off last season’s team, which featured high-scoring guard Macy Birkholz and all-around standout Ellie Edberg. Full was a consistent performer for the Cougars, averaging 6.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists.
“I feel like I’ve gotten better because I’ve had such good teammates over the years,” Full said. “They’ve encouraged me and made me work hard in practice to push me to the best of my abilities. I try to be a good all-around player who can either play down low or bring the ball up the floor. I think shooting is one of my strengths as well as my passing.
“I need to work on my dribbling and communication. It’s exciting being a senior, but it’s also kind of scary because it’s a big world out there so I am prepared to do the best I can do. We just need to work hard, push everybody and have a good mindset. This is a good group to work with because they’re always having fun and have a positive energy.”
While Beaty averaged 4.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists while playing solid defense, senior forward Kylinn Stangl tallied 5.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per contest as the lone returning starter. Junior forward Ariet Omot (2.1 points, 3.1 rebounds) and junior guard Hayden Henning are expected to see extensive action, while a trio of players — freshman guard Sam Williams, junior guard Taylor Rueter and junior guard Ilhan Moulic — have secured spots in the Cougars’ rotation.
“This year, we’re really focusing on rebuilding, and defense is going to be a huge key for us,” Boever said. “We’re not going to be very tall so we’re going to have to put a lot of pressure on defensively and then transition to offense. We have to cause some turnovers and then reap the benefits on the offensive side. This group is constantly having fun and are very coachable. … We have to be defensive minded and that will lead into our transition.”
East opens its season Thursday at Stewartville.