Girls’ basketball notebook: Mount Vernon, English Valleys are area’s top movers and shakers

They’re shooting better. They’re scoring more.

And needless to say, they’re winning with much more frequency.

Say hello (or is it welcome back?) to the Mount Vernon Mustangs who — along with English Valleys — holds the title as the area’s most improved girls’ basketball team.

“Look at our numbers from last year, and that’s not going to win many games,” said Coach Nate Sanderson, who rejoined the head-coaching ranks this winter.

Those numbers were painful to look at: 27.4 percent from the field, 22.6 percent from 3-point range, 31.3 points per game. That all translated to a 1-20 record.

“Volume shooting isn’t something I’ve committed myself to before,” Sanderson said. “But everybody is getting at least 150 shots a day, every day. The only rule is they can’t shoot at the same spot twice in a row. They have to move one way or another and reset the feet.

“We played a lot of small-sided games, a lot of 2-on-2, 3-on-3.”

The results have been staggering. Mount Vernon (10-9) ranks fifth in Class 3A in field-goal accuracy (41.5 percent), first in 3-pointers (142), first in 3-point accuracy (36.6 percent). The Mustangs are scoring at a respectable 47.5-point rate.

They notched a school record for 3-pointers in a game (15, against Clinton) and in a season (142, with two regular-season games and the postseason still ahead).

“Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect,” said Sanderson, who has won more than 200 career games and captured 1A state titles at Springville in 2016 and 2017, then coached 2 1/2 seasons at Linn-Mar and served as an assistant at North Linn last season.

“I got the job in May, and we didn’t have the top eight kids all together until the first day of practice. I was hoping maybe we could win four or five games, build some momentum and help the kids have a good experience in which they looked forward to basketball.”

They’ve done more than that, winning 10 of 15 after an 0-4 start.

Led by senior McKenzie Rentschler (48), four Mustangs have hit at least 20 3-pointers this season. Sophomore Peyton Simpson has nailed 35 shots from long range, and matches senior post Liz Dougherty for team scoring honors at 9.7 points per game.

“We’re playing through Dougherty way more than we were,” Sanderson said. “She’s tough, physical, a tough matchup. That forced teams to help inside, then we get kick-outs and swing passes on the perimeter.”

Meanwhile, at English Valleys ...

While Mount Vernon has transformed itself from bottom-feeder to a winning outfit, English Valleys went from middle-of-the-pack to a championship squad.

The Bears have upped their record from 9-11 to 18-2, claiming the South Iowa Cedar League East Division crown.

“We’ve become a hard pressing team, and we’ve been able to create a lot of baskets off turnovers,” Bears Coach Jeff Miller said. “Our girls are in good shape, and — especially late in games — we’re able to take the ball away for good scoring opportunities.

“They play like their hair is on fire with their pressing and trapping.”

The Bears have forced 24.4 turnovers per game.

Miller, 61, is a retired school administrator who lives in Ottumwa. He previously coached both boys and girls basketball at Davis County, then girls at Fairfield, compiling a total record of 184-82.

He took last year off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, then took the job at English Valleys.

Miller inherited a veteran crew. Four of the top five scorers are seniors, led by Mia Ayers (14.5 points per game).

The league title is English Valleys’ first since winning back-to-back SICL crowns in 2004 and 2005.

Also, movin’ on up ...

Mount Vernon and English Valleys have increased their win total from 2020-21 to 2021-22 by nine victories.

Other area teams that have made substantial progress:

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com