ON TRACK: Princeton High girls’ basketball player Zoe Tesone heads to the basket in a game last winter. PHS is depending on star forward Tesone to provide toughness and production in the paint this winter. The Little Tigers tip off their 2015-16 campaign on December 18 when they play at WW/P-S. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Dan Van Hise helped the Princeton High girls’ basketball team achieve a higher standard of competitiveness last winter in his second season at the helm of the program.

Van Hise guided PHS to an 8-16 record in 2014-15, a marked improvement over the 3-16 mark posted by the Little Tigers in his debut campaign.

“We are trying to build on last year and not take it that last year was as good as it is going to get,” said Van Hise.

“We want the mentality to be that last year doesn’t have to be a fluke, we can be that level year in year out.”

While PHS has said goodbye to five senior stalwarts from last year’s squad, Van Hise believes his team has the talent to maintain the level it reached last winter.

“We are returning the two starters in Julia Ryan and Zoe Tesone and they were really big pieces last year,” said Van Hise, whose squad tips off its 2015-16 campaign on December 18 when it plays at WW/P-S.

“If they can do what they did last year and we can get some of the newer girls to step up, we think we can sniff what we did last year. That is what we are going for.”

Van Hise is looking for senior guard Ryan to lead the PHS backcourt.

“Julia is looking great,” said Van Hise. “Her confidence has really shot up; I would say the first week of practice she only shot five jump shots. Everything was going to go to the basket. She has really turned into more of a play maker.”

The Little Tigers need sophomore Devon Lis, junior Jamaica Ponder, and senior Crystal Wang to turn up their games.

“Devon is going to be another shooter for us, she is a really long guard,” said Van Hise.

“I think that is going to help defensively, both she and Julia can get into passing lanes and get some steals and hopefully get some easy baskets. That is something that we need. If we go with Julia off the ball, it will be Jamaica and Devon sharing that responsibility at point. Crystal Wang will step in as a starter. She has worked her butt off, she has really grown a lot over the past couple of years. Shooting is still going to be her primary role.”

Junior star Tesone figures to be PHS’s primary player in the paint at both ends of the floor.

“A lot of Zoe is her defense; she is not the tallest girl but she fights against posts,” said Van Hise.

“We usually stick her on the other team’s best player so she will fill that role again. She is starting to get a little bit more aggressive with her offensive game, facing the basket a little bit. We think she has a little bit more speed than the other team’s bigs so if she is matched up with the other team’s post, we are hoping to put her in some situations where she can face the basket and use her speed to get to the hoop. She impacts the game. She is going to be our main rebounder and our best defender.”

Van Hise is hoping that senior Adria Backus, junior Ines Arroyo, and sophomore Taylor Stone can make an impact in the front court.

“Adria Backus is a do-the-little things type of player, she rebounds; she is a really good on ball defender she is tenacious and the first-on-the-floor type,” said Van Hise.

“She is always crashing the offensive boards. She is going to be that glue girl. Ines will be a back-up post. She has come a long way, she worked a lot over the summer. Taylor Stone is coming up, she will be another back up post. She is a lefty who gets to the hoop.”

In order to get back to last winter’s competitive level, PHS needs good work from its new starters and a commitment to rebounding.

“The first key has to be for those girls to step into their larger roles and to have the comfort level and confidence level to step up,” said Van Hise.

“If Crystal, Adria, Devon, and Jamaica can really step up and be contributors, we can get back there. Rebounding in general is key. We are definitely shorter; we have to box out. We are not going to score enough to give teams two or three chances on each possession. We have to clear the ball and get down the floor and get those easy buckets. If we can get out and run a little bit and get down the court and not have to be in the half court all of the time, that would be huge.”