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player ready...The seeds of progress are firmly planted when it comes to the Lake Forest girls basketball team’s future.
Though the Scouts have just one senior on their roster in Meghan Malles — who is currently out with an undisclosed injury — coach Kyle Wilhelm is stressing patience.
“It’s a little tough to evaluate where we’re at right now because we’ve only got three healthy returning players from last year who’ve taken a spot in our current starting lineup,” Wilhelm said. “As the season progresses, we will constantly be re-evaluating our goals and making adjustments as necessary.”
That doesn’t mean the Scouts don’t have plenty to work with as they grow. Forward Maeve Summerville, a 5-foot-11 sophomore, is rounding into one of the area’s top players. She finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds in a game against Vernon Hills on Nov. 24.
“I expect a double-double from Maeve every time she plays,” Wilhelm said. “She’s got that kind of ability.”
She’s also expanded her repertoire since making an immediate impact as a freshman a year ago.
“I’ve tried to step up my game both the inside in the lane and from the outside, and not just be a one-dimensional player,” Summerville said. “And this year I’ve also tried to take on more of a leadership role and be more aggressive all-around, even if that means calling for the ball in certain situations.”
Olivia Douglass, another 5-11 sophomore forward, has given Lake Forest productive minutes with her scrappy play. She finished with eight rebounds (four offensive) and three assists against Vernon Hills and attempted five 3-pointers.
Her combination of inside and outside skills could create matchup issues for opponents, who may be forced to move their post players further from the basket than they’d like.
“One of the things I’ve enjoyed so far this year is how everyone seems to be working together as a team,” Douglass said. “Yeah, we’ve got a lot of younger players in our lineup, but I look at it as a great opportunity for me and everyone else to step up and prove what we’re capable of.”
Though Douglass is a first-year varsity player, junior guards Tori Salanty and Delaney Williams already have plenty of experience at this level. When Williams is at her best, she’s one of the most explosive point guards in the North Suburban Conference.
Williams was so effective in a Nov. 23 game against Woodstock North (18 points, 13 rebounds, 10 steals, nine assists) that she missed an almost unheard of quadruple-double by just one assist.
“She’s so quick and so explosive that when she’s on, she’s almost impossible to stop,” Wilhelm said. “But I kind of feel like that about all of our kids at times. The potential is definitely here. We just need to give it some time to fully develop. Once it does, I’m exited about where this team’s headed.”
Tim Froehlig is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter: @TFroehlig