Harlem looks to ‘blend’

Kortney Busekros averaged 11.7 points last year and Breanna Neubauer, sidelined last year with a knee injury, averaged 9.2 points and 5 rebounds as a sophomore.

Together, they give Harlem two solid scorers to build around.

“But we’ve got to get the other ones to know when to step in and when to step back,” coach Luanna Kish said. “Kortney and Breanna are seniors. They handle themselves well, but we won’t be strong until we get everyone together.

“We need to get very fluent in our offense and look for our scoring opportunities. We need to know what we’re up against defensively. Offense will be the difference maker for us. We have to get fluent.”

Kristin Numbers and Brooke Lawrence give the Huskies four returning starters, while Paige Graham and Katie Gray were key backups last year. But the Huskies lack height and their offense remains a work in progress.

“Busekros and Neubauer both bring consistency in scoring, and Neubauer does a good job on the boards for being 5-foot-6, but everyone around them needs to contribute,” Kish said. “We’ve got a good nucleus returning, but everyone has to blend together.

“We’re going to be challenged by teams that have a couple of tall players, because height is not something we have. Our tallest player is 5-9, 5-10. But if we play solid defense, we should be able to match up at least.”

-- Matt Trowbridge, rrstar.com

Huskies at a glance
Coach: Luanna Kish (5th year, 54-55)
Last season: 10-17 (6-10).
Returning starters: Seniors Kortney Busekros, Breanna Neubauer, Kristin Numbers and Brooke Lawrence.
Other key players: Juniors Paige Graham, Kailey Firm, Erin Bolin and Amber Bryant and sophomore Katie Gray.
Strengths: Two solid building blocks in returning starters Busekros and Neubauer, who combined to average 20 points.
Weaknesses: Modest size. Rebounding a concern.
Outlook: The Huskies should finish between fifth and seventh in the NIC-10.