Indee girls hope to stay healthy, step up guard play

With the state’s leading rebounder returning to the line up, the Independence girls basketball team is hoping for improved guard play to help challenge for the conference title.

Ziy Conner finished last season with averages of 19 points and 17.3 rebounds per game — the latter being the best mark in the state by nearly three rebounds, according to WisSports.net.  Despite that, the Indees finished with a 10-13 record and lost in the regional round of Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament play.

For coach John Zilla, the keys to improving on last year’s record will be staying health during the pandemic and getting some assistance around Conner, who he said can be even better in her senior campaign.

Conner’s statistics took a big jump up as a junior after she averaged 11.5 points and eight rebounds per game as a sophomore. While the statistical jump might not be as drastic in her senior season, Zilla said he thinks she has another level she can get to.

“She has the ability and talent to dominate games,” Zilla said. “She will need to focus more on the mental part of her game and bring her ‘A-game’ each night. I’m looking at her to be more of a leader for our team this season.”

What could help is if the Indees have improved guard play after they struggled with consistency last year.

“We really need our guards to step up,” Zilla said.

Aubrie Pronschisnke, Emerson Pronschinske and Avery Pape all played significant minutes for the Indees last year. Emerson Pronschinske led the team with 3.1 assists per game and was third with 5.7 points per game.  Zilla also mentioned Amiah Ives as someone who will handle the ball for the Indees. 

“We will need them to take their games to the next level,” Zilla said.

Zilla said he’s also looking for a compliment to Conner in the post, noting that Alana Back might be an option to fill that spot. Back averaged 3.8 points and 2.5 rebounds per game last year.

“We have a lot of experience coming back this year so I’m hopeful that will prove helpful early on,” Zilla said.

The coach expressed some doubt about how the season will play out during the pandemic, saying “with all the health issues going on it is going to be difficult to make it through the schedule without some sort of setback.”

But, if his team can avoid a setback, Zilla said he can see his team competing at the top of the Small Dairyland Conference.