The Greenville Lady Comets had a magical season in 2018-2019. They finished 30-2 with both losses coming to state 4th place finisher Hillsboro. While they graduate an excellent class in 2019 they return a group that expects to be right…
The Greenville Lady Comets had a magical season in 2018-2019. They finished 30-2 with both losses coming to state 4th place finisher Hillsboro. While they graduate an excellent class in 2019 they return a group that expects to be right back in the hunt next year.
Returning starters Megan Hallemann and Rylee Pickett will be joined by Natalie Iberg as the players expected to carry the load. All three will be spending their off season with the Blue Star St Louis program looking to improve their game. Halleman and Pickett will be with the Renken 17U team and Iberg will be with the Renken 16U team.
Hallemann is a 6’4 post that excels on the defensive end. She plays in the middle of their tough zone defense. With her on the back end it allows the other girls to take chances and funnel the ball towards Megan. Her 4.7 blocks per game and long arms will usually deter players from doing that. On the offensive end her post game is still developing. She has a nice shot and can hit it all the way out to the 3 point line. With improved strength and development she can become a force in the middle. For the Lady Comets to have a special season Megan will most likely have to really increase her 12.6 points per game. Megan has had interest from a range of colleges. It is clear that this summer will play a big part in what type of offers will be there for her.
She will certainly get offensive help from Rylee Pickett. Rylee is a 3 point sniper that can fill it up in a hurry. Rylee made 48 three pointers during the season. She followed that up with a run in the State Farm Shootout. She advanced to state but was eliminated in a tie breaker 1 spot short of the final 4. Rylee is more than just shooter. She averaged over 3 assists per game and is excellent at the top of their zone. Rylee applies pressure on the ball and makes it difficult to reverse the ball. She will be counted on as a leader this year as they replace the class of 2019. Rylee has been really working on her ball handling the last year. She has had interest from a few schools. With a good spring and summer she should find more options.
Natalie Iberg was the first sub off the bench on the deep and talented 2018-2019 team. She was also able to play some JV to hone her craft. Coming into her junior year the expectation will be to use her exceptional athletic talents to take a more vital role for the varsity. Natalie is great on defense and can really run the floor. She scored just over 5 points per game as a sophomore. Natalie can hit the 3 and will score in a variety of ways. She has the potential to be a real force if she can improve her skill to match her athleticism.
It will be hard for this group to match the 30 wins of last season. These three players will definitely be worth watching this off season. If they can improve their game, look out. The Lady Comets could be a tough out in 2A again next year.