Hoops preview: Depth an obstacle for Ram girls

JEREMIAH BARTZ/ Frontiersman sports editor

** Editor's note: This is part of a series of stories previewing the local 4A and 3A varsity prep basketball squads for the 2005-06 season.

TALKEETNA - In the fourth quarter of its loss to Houston last week, the Susitna Valley girls' basketball team was down to the five players it had on the court.

Forward Jolene Armstrong suffered a knee injury earlier in the game, and Sara Bartel left the court in the fourth quarter with a bloody nose. Who knows what would have happened if another Ram was injured, or fouled out in the final moments of the game?

Su Valley started the contest with seven players, and lack of depth is just something the Rams (0-6) will have to overcome this season. Head coach Bruce Gunderson said there are 12 players currently on the Su Valley roster, and five of those athletes play strictly on the junior varsity squad.

&#8220Our J.V. is not very experienced at all,” Gunderson said. &#8220And most of our team is playing six quarters a night. Two on junior varsity and four on varsity. So that doesn't help much either.”

Drawing from a small student body, the Ram basketball squads are never overflowing with athletes. But the numbers are still lower than average this season.

&#8220We should have five girls that are not on the team,” Gunderson said. &#8220Three of those five would have probably started. That hurt us.”

Gunderson said two seniors opted to graduate at the semester, and a third player chose cheerleading over basketball.

But what Su Valley lacks in depth, they have in

tenacity.

&#8220They'll play all game,” Gunderson said. &#8220They've always been good at that. We've never really been strong, but we've always played up until the last second.”

And there isn't a lack of playing time for the Su Valley players.

&#8220Everybody gets to play a lot of basketball,” Gunderson said.

Among Su Valley's team leaders, Gunderson said, will be juniors Megan Ostermick and Sara Bartel, as well as sophomore Amber Wigen.

Ostermick plays in the post, while the left-handed Bartel is expected to do much of her damage along he baseline.

&#8220She looks like she'll have a good move on the baseline,” Gunderson said. &#8220A lot of people don't expect the shot from the left-hander.”

Wigen leads the Rams in the back court.

&#8220Amber Wigen has a good shot, but we haven't been able to get her open,” Gunderson said.

As a team Gunderson said defense is currently the strength.

&#8220Defensively, I think we're fairly strong,” Gunderson said. &#8220We've got to get our offense working.”