John Raffel
Sport Scene
Lindsay Winter doesn’t mind all the attention she’s been receiving from opponents on the girls’ basketball court this season.
If the Clare sophomore, who averages 22 points a game, isn’t able to score, she simply dishes it off to teammates to give them a shot at two points.
Winter and her teammates have rarely experienced the feeling of losing ballgames during the regular season. In her freshman year, the Pioneers were 24-0 before losing their first game.
This season, they went 14-0 before falling to Nouvel Catholic Central and Sacred Heart Academy, highly-regarded Class C and D teams. But those losses, Winter predicted, could greatly benefit her team in future days.
“The teams we’re playing are very good teams,” Winter said. “Sacred Heart and Nouvel are both…Sacred Heart was a top team in Class D. It helps us learn to know what we need to do, so when we do get in the tournament, we’re ready, because we’ll have a tough district. Every loss we learn from.
“We’ve only got two losses and those were to two very good teams.”
A tough loss against an excellent team could prove to be more valuable than blowing out a weaker squad.
“When you beat a team by that much, you definitely get to run all your plays, but you’re not going to get better,” Winter said. “We’re just trying to get better.”
It’s the “little things” that could help the Pioneers be a better team, as far as Winter is concerned.
“Like coming off the screens good, boxing out, free throws, just the little things that in games like that decide who wins or loses,” Winter said.
Winter gained plenty of attention from the other teams’ defenses, coach Matt Rodenbo noted. “We’ve seen several box-and-one defenses against her,” he said.
“It opens up for other people,” Winter said. “We can still run our same offense. It just gives my other teammates an opportunity to score, which they definitely can.”
The Pioneers had big wins over Meridian and Reed City.
“Montabella was a good win too,” Winter said.
As impressive as her freshman season was, Winter has been even better as a sophomore.
“I’m a little bit stronger,” she said. “It’s my second year, so I know what to expect. My role is pretty much similar. It’s mainly taking a bigger role like running offenses and knowing what to call. I guess I’ve gotten better in taking it to the basket if my outside shot isn’t working. I can drive and stuff. I’ve been working on driving to the basket.”
There are some differences between this year’s Clare team and last season’s.
“We can go just as far if not farther,” Winter said. “Defensively, we’re focused. Compared to last year, we have all the talent and everyone is dedicated.”
When it comes to playing tough teams, “it’s the little things, like setting the picks, boxing out…all the basics that most people don’t think about.” Winter said. “The season has been so much fun. It’s like one big family. We play for each other. We all get along great.
“We’re getting toward the end of the season. We want to give it everything we have every single game.”