Van-Far girls basketball will have much inexperience heading into this season but will have several returning players it can rely on.

Pertaining to the Lady Indians’ starting five, they will be without the graduated Devyn Keller and Haley Baskett, who each have made the Eastern Missouri Conference team in the past and averaged 8 and 9.4 points per game, respectively, last year. Senior and leading scorer Mara Jensen is expected to be the leading scorer this year following her unanimous first-team all-conference season – her second straight first-team all-EMO selection – after averaging 16.1 points, 11.1 rebounds and one block. Junior Carmen Wilburn (6.7 points per game) and sophomore Dalana Gay return as Wilburn will be at the point to replace the departed Keller.

Head coach Heather Minter, who has led Van-Far to two consecutive 11-win seasons, said her three returning starters will depended on this season along with junior McKenna Engh-Hoffman.

“Mara is going to be a huge factor, we’re looking to move Carmen over to the point guard, and Dalana did a lot of good things for us on defense but not much scoring-wise,” Minter said. “As far as scoring, I just have those two in Carmen and Mara. McKenna is going to be a big factor for us on the defensive and the offensive end. (Freshman) Madelynn Caldwell is back with us this year so she’ll be helpful too.”

Minter said she maintains a smaller rotation because she doesn’t want kids to be “thrown into the fire” when they are still learning the basics. If the Lady Indians get into foul trouble, then the team’s three freshmen might find themselves on the floor, but Minter wants to give them more time.

“Some kids just aren’t ready,” Minter said. “It’s just trying to get them some experience. Some kids, they don’t have any other choice but to get thrown in. Since I’ve been here, besides last year, I didn’t have to do it much. Kids just have to learn and grow.”

Jensen has provided Van-Far that strong presence in the post, Minter said, and should do the same this season. However, there might be some nights Jensen will be asked to play in a different area so the Lady Indians will need to adjust to that.

“Our big strength is going to be our post,” Minter said. “Since I’ve been here, with our post player, we’ve always been big in that area. I also feel like, at times depending on who we’re playing, Mara is going to have to move out to play a guard and McKenna’s going to be the post.”

The main thing Minter has always and will continue to ask from the Lady Indians is to compete, even if they are on the losing side of the scoreboard against talented teams. She just doesn’t want to question their effort.
Minter didn’t question Van-Far’s effort last year against Eastern Missouri Conference teams, finishing with a 7-3 record in conference games and 10-4 record if tournament games against EMO teams are counted.

That final loss was a district loss to Clopton to end Van-Far’s season at 11-13. Minter believes Van-Far can win at least 11 games again this year.

“I don’t think there’s an easy game on our schedule just because of what we're working with,” Minter said. “I believe we do have a chance that we could win 11 games if we show up every night.”