Heading into the 2020 season, Hays girls basketball head coach Danny Preuss will lean on a deep and experienced roster in the hopes of reaching the postseason.

Last year, Hays failed to make the playoffs for the first time in close to a decade.

“We were very young last year, we’ve been young the last two years,” Preuss said. “We are trying to get those girls a lot more experience. My main core, almost everyone of them were playing AAU ball (over the offseason). About half of my varsity is playing together, which is good. Thats the biggest thing we are working on is just getting more reps, getting more experience.”

The Lady Rebels bring back the talented front court duo of Lily Guevera and Trista Strasser, with each having two full seasons under their belt entering their junior campaigns.

Guevera’s development over the offseason has Preuss excited about her potential as an inside-out threat on offense.

“She’s going to be a big part of this team, just because she can shoot from the outside and she can take it to them on the inside,” Preuss said. “She’s just a good all around player.”
Strasser, a first-team All District 25-6A player a year ago who averaged a double-double in district play, will be relied upon in the paint to compliment the inside-out offense attack with Guevera.

“When I get Trista back (from volleyball), its going to be our inside-out game,” said Preuss. “If they shutdown our inside game we are going to kill you from the outside. If you leave Trista one-on-one she is going to beat your butt on the inside. That’s one thing I’m looking forward to.”

Joining Strasser and Guevera in the starting lineup will be junior guards Madison Logan and Jasmine Taylor. Logan also brings valuable experience to the team as she has been a starter since her freshman year, while Taylor returns from a torn ACL she suffered before the beginning of last season. Rounding out the fifth starting spot is sophomore small forward Katelynn Isely, but an injury she suffered during the fall could see her miss an extended period of time.

Depth will be Hays’ biggest asset with six seniors and three juniors coming off the bench.

“I just feel like I have so much more depth (this season),” Preuss said. “I’ve probably got another five or six players that can come in and do their own thing too and not miss much of a beat.”

Senior guards Faith Duran and Anastasia Matthews return and are expected to contribute big time minutes this season, while junior guards Lauren Douglas, Abigail Percy, and Evelyn Martinez, and senior center Ashlynn Brazell will be relied upon as key depth players.

Hays also added three transfer players from Lehman High after Hays CISD altered the attendance zone boundaries prior to the opening of Johnson High. Bridgette Ramirez and Alyssa Saucedo and senior forward Aspaisa Youngbird were starters for the Lady Lobos a season ago. All three are expected to bring experience to the Rebel lineup.

“The biggest thing from them is I just have a lot more experience on the floor.” Preuss said. “I mean they all know how to play basketball, and you need people that know how to play basketball.”

Over the offseason, Preuss has seen key development in the team’s ability to shoot the deep ball and apply pressure with their full court press defense. Adding that to a team full of upperclassmen with years of varsity experience, there is reason to be excited about the Lady Rebels this upcoming season.

“Everybody is going to have a role on this team, and they just need to fulfill their role and I think we can have a successful season,” said Preuss. “When I look at a successful season I always look at a 20 win season. Thats the first goal, you want to get 20 wins. If you get 20 wins you’ve played a pretty good season and the rest kind of takes care of itself.”

The Lady Rebels first home game of the season is Nov. 19 against the Smithson Valley Rangers.