Hauser lost four starters from last girls basketball season and was missing some of its key returners for different games this summer, but that didn’t stop the Jets from putting together a solid June season.
Hauser went 12-6 during the June period when coaches were permitted to work with their teams in practice and game settings. They went 10-5 in the Edinburgh Summer League and 2-1 in a shootout at Edinburgh.
“I’m pleased as punch with 12-6,” Hauser coach Brad Hamilton said. “We had a different group there every night we practiced. I saw a bunch of bright spots.”
Incoming seniors Mykenzie Ault and incoming juniors Shelby Fugate and Bree Hadley were the only returning varsity players who were at all the games.
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The Jets played the entire summer season without returning starter Taylor Henderson. Henderson, who will be a senior, had a second hip surgery after the season ended, and a nerve was severed in her leg. She has recently been released to start shooting.
Another key player, incoming senior Jada Asher, was gone for two weeks.
“You take those two out of the equation, I was really pleased,” Hamilton said. “I’m pretty pleased with it in light of the fact that I didn’t have Taylor Henderson at all.”
Mel Hasler, who will be a junior played only two games because of her rodeo commitments, and incoming sophomore Hannah Johnson had softball on Thursday nights. Nichole Patezel, who will be a junior, is a question mark after leaving softball because of a head injury.
Incoming sophomores Aunika Wasil, Zoee Nading and incoming junior Leah Joyce moved up from the JV to play varsity this summer. Incoming sophomore Maylee Barriger, who didn’t play as a freshman, also was with the varsity.
“Aunika Wasil stepped in and played well,” Hamilton said. “Hadley and Fugate and Ault were consistently good. They played really hard. We played a lot of good defense, which created good offense. When we pressed, we were pretty tough.”
Hauser went 3-0 against Indianapolis Lutheran this summer. Two of the Jets’ losses came against Greenwood Christian Academy, and one was a one-point setback to Class 4A Shelbyville.
“It’s going to be interesting,” Hamilton said. “We’re going to be young. Defense is going to be the key for us. I’m predominantly a man-to-man guy, and I tried to work them more zone this summer, and I saw a lot of positives.”
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This is the final of a six-day series recapping the summer basketball season for Bartholomew County teams. The schedule:
Monday: Columbus East boys
Tuesday: Columbus North boys
Wednesday: Hauser boys
Thursday: Columbus East girls
Friday: Columbus North girls
Today: Hauser girls
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