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NEGAUNEE — It’s typical for the Negaunee Miners girls basketball program to reload with talent rather than rebuild from scratch.

This year is no exception.

The Miners lost three games last season, and two of them were to MHSAA Division 3 state semifinalist Calumet. Coming off that strong season and losing three senior starters, the team brings back a cast of faces familiar with the varsity program.

Negaunee's Madi Smith, left, and Westwood's Megan Marta scramble for a loose ball in the second quarter of their high school basketball game played at the Patriots' gym in Ishpeming on Feb. 19. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)

Alyssa Hill returns for her fourth year controlling the post for Negaunee, and comes back after garnering all-conference, All-Upper Peninsula and all-state honors. In what won’t quite be an all-time shocker from NHS coach Mike O’Donnell, she’ll be the squad’s go-to player.

“It’s definitely no secret there that a lot is going to go through Alyssa on offense,” O’Donnell said. “Her being a four-year player and being a leader for a team now on the floor during game time, practices, in the film room. Being able to lean on her, for a coach, it’s a great bonus and it’s almost like having a coach on the floor. Somebody that’s been through it all, with her talent and skills, it’s like I said, an added bonus.”

Lilly Nelson is also in her fourth year on the varsity, and will enter her third year as a starter. Serving as the team’s sharpshooter, she’s a player that teams won’t want to lose around the 3-point arc.

“She’s obviously been through the ringer as well,” O’Donnell said. “She’s a girl that when she gets hot, you can’t get too far from her because she’s got a quick release and she’ll fire from anywhere on the floor, basically.”

Hill and Nelson lead a group of nine seniors who will provide Negaunee with a lot of experience and depth. Emily Gauthier will slide up from the bench and man the power forward spot, while Summer Dudo will start at guard.

One player for Negaunee who doesn’t have quite the amount of experience as the rest is sophomore point guard Ella Mason. Playing both varsity and JV levels last year with the five-quarter rule, Mason gained some experience while being used by design in big tournament moments, according to O’Donnell.

“We’re excited for our backcourt,” O’Donnell said.

The program has fallen in the Division 3 district finals in the past two seasons to loaded Westwood and Calumet teams. This year, there is again optimism about what this squad can accomplish.

The Miners will find out a lot about themselves quickly in a tough schedule to begin the season. With a stretch that includes home games against Marquette, Houghton and Calumet; and road games with Gladstone, Escanaba and Westwood, December provides a gauntlet of a schedule for NHS. The season begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday at home against Manistique.

“With what we have coming back, and the depth we have, we’re very optimistic,” O’Donnell said. “We set our goals high for this year, and that being said, we jump into the fire pretty quick. We have a stretch of games in the beginning of the season up through the new year that’s going to be very challenging for us.”

Travis Nelson can be reached by email at tnelson@miningjournal.net.

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