Head Coach Nichole Copeland took a Newcastle Racers girls basketball team that had only won three games the previous year, to finish the 2023-23 season with a 11-16 record. It was Copeland’s first year at Newcastle.
“We lost five games by a total of seven points last year,” Copeland said, adding that the team came a long way from the youth and inexperience from previous years when the team only won three games. “I expect the team to be better prepared mentally to finish off some of those close games.”
It won’t be any easier, however, as Newcastle is in a Class 4A Conference full of powerhouse basketball teams including last year’s State Champion, the Bethany Bronchos. Copeland said the schedule is “absolutely brutal” with four of the conference’s eight teams making the State Tournament.
Newcastle, who was one game away from the Area Tournament last year, plays in a conference with Bethany, Tuttle, Weatherford, Kingfisher, Anadarko, Blanchard, Cache, Clinton, Elk City and Chickasha. Again, according to Copeland, Bethany is the returning State Champion. She said Tuttle has been to the State Tournament the past three years.
Weatherford and Kingfisher were both in the State Tournament last year.
She expects Blanchard to be better this year, and Cache has a great coach but some young players. She said Clinton was young last year, but will be better this year. Elk City graduated six seniors last year so they’ll have to have some players step up, and Chickasha has some good young players, according to Copeland. She added that the Racers matched up well with them last year.
For Newcastle, the competition gap is closing, Copeland said, but fans should look for a battle every night in this conference.
The Racers intend to be better than last year. They have three returning seniors in guard Leah Bradley, center Jayden Lassen, and guard Makenna Woodworth. Also a senior is exchange student Candela Valverde. Leah was a starter last year and Jayden came off the bench last year and is back this year with a purpose and will be a probable starter, according to Copeland.
Other returning starters are sophomore guards Bella Allen and Reagan Greenroyd. Sophomore forward Amber Ellis also saw a significant amount of playing time, Copeland said.
She added, “Junior Brylee Scott, a center post player, is ready to step up and play a more important role on the varsity.”
Freshman Ava Snider was described by Copeland as “very long, athletic and brings a different dimension” to the Racers that they’ve been missing, and freshman guard Emerson Marble “has the ability to really shoot the basketball” and is expected to help the team later in the season.
Copeland said this year’s team has a tremendous work ethic and they’ve bought in to the coaching, but they’ll still need to continue learning the game and their expectations.
“We may not have the most talented group of basketball players, but I will go to battle with every one of those kids on that roster,” Copeland said. “They have a love for each other, they work every single day, they are so eager to learn, and they want to get better.”
She said they want to be the group who changes the program and gets it back on track.
On offense, Copeland said the other teams should not be deceived by the Racers’ size. With either Jayden or Riley at post, they’ll be backed up with good shooters.
Copeland said Leah is the Racers’ best returning scorer and is a three-point threat. Reagan explodes the basket and has worked hard to extend her game to the threepoint area. Bella is “tiny but fierce” having averaged five rebounds per game as a point guard. Copeland said there is no one tougher, and she is learning to become more vocal.
“Amber Ellis brings the calm and she is steady. She is not flashy, but she is just going to do her job,” Copeland said. “Jayden brings her power and moves people in the post. She’s physical and has worked hard being a better finisher.”
Copeland said the opponents will have to move outside and guard the Racers’ guards, so Newcastle will need to be able to establish pressure with its inside game with Riley and Jayden. She said if they can accomplish this, it will change the team and how successful they can be.
Defensively, Copeland said Reagan is the best defender along with Bella, who is a “fierce competitor,” and Amber can defend the bigger players and understands spacing. Jayden brings our power and has the ability to move people on the post. She is not afraid to be physical, the coach said.
“Last year we were really good on defense at times,” Copeland said. “This year our focus has been to be more physical and we have to be better communicators.”
Being connected at all times has been a focus for the Racers. In their first scrimmage of the year, Copeland said she was pretty pleased with the first group — the kids who played last year — in their defensive output. She said the younger kids don’t quite understand the need to be connected.
“Once we all get on that same page, I think defensively we are going to be able to cover people both inside and out, and I think be a much better defensive team this year.”
She added that the Racers will be much more aggressive this year than last.
The Racers begin the 202324 season hosting Chickasha on December 5. They follow that game with the December 7-9 Harrah Tournament. They’ll have eight games before Christmas and then be off until January 2 with a game against Tuttle, and then the Noble Tournament January 4-6.
The Racers have several team goals for the year and have set individual goals, as well. For the team, they would like to be Tri City champions, something they haven’t done in several years.
They want to finish in the top 3 at the tournaments, and they want to make it further than last year by competing in the Area Tournament. And, of course, any team would have the ultimate goal of a State Tournament berth.
Copeland said the Racers look to be better in February and March of next year than they are now, and because of the competition they face along the way, they should be able to compete in postseason. By the way, this is the Racers’ last year to be in Class 4A. They will be moving up to Class 5A next year, according to the coach.
Copeland has coached at Piedmont, Mount Saint Mary, Norman and Mustang. She’s been an assistant coach at Westmoore and Norman. She has coached State Champion and State Runner-Up teams, as well as multi-year State qualifying teams, and she’s coached at All-State. She is originally from Kingfisher and is an alum of Oklahoma Christian University. She is assisted by Jennifer Sanders and Austin Copeland.
