The Community R-6 girls have the potential to do a lot of things this season.

The Lady Trojans have some experience with seven of the 11 girls returning with plenty of minutes and the composition of the roster includes several players with different skillsets.

Head coach Bob Curtis said he was impressed with the defense displayed by his team during a 16-0 summer. But that isn’t all he thinks the Lady Trojans can do.

“Even though there’s 11, we’re going to play most of those 11,” Curtis said. “We’re deeper than maybe the number looks like. We’re going to pressure people, turn people over and get some transition buckets. This team, over the summer, took care of the basketball much better than we did last year.”

Peyton Beamer returns as all-conference honorable mention after running the offense last season while senior Aaliyah Welch also has plenty of starting experience that brings back a post presence along with Jocelyn Curtis, who had a summer showing her size and strength around the rim. Curtis said Beamer is a point guard that will make teams “question pressing us” due to her good ball handling.

“Offensively, she’s probably going to lead us a lot of nights,” Curtis said about Beamer. “She is a talented offensive player and really good off the dribble.”

“She’s going to be a good offensive shot in the arm for us,” Curtis said about Welch. “She’s a good rebounder and a good defender.”

Rylee Rafferty and Amy McCurdy are seniors that have looked good in practice, Curtis said. Rafferty knows the offense after playing the last several years while McCurdy returns after taking a season off but gives Community more depth in the post.

Chloe Johnson and Kat Meyer are juniors that will factor into the rotation more. Curtis said Johnson is a “really good defender” and “tough kid,” and Meyer is a “great perimeter shooter” that can get hot, as seen when she won the girls division of the 3-point contest at the preseason FanFest.

Curtis said Lydia Hoyt is a sophomore that brings good ball handling and shooting, and freshman Myla Carroll that had a good summer around the rim due to her being a “physical kid.”

If Community can avoid offensive droughts, like what happened in the second half of its season-ending 64-44 loss to Higbee, Curtis said the program can have another good season to follow a 16-11 campaign a year ago.

“This team can honestly play a low-scoring game – a possession game in the 30s or 40s – but we can also get out and run with you too,” Curtis said. “I like that we can contrast styles.”