Despite a disappointing season last year, the Ursuline Irish girls basketball team will be banking on returning its entire team, as well as a strong defensive front this season.

Head coach Bernard Scott enters his second season at the helm and believes the newfound experience of the team will be the difference maker.

“I think we were inexperienced and it showed down the stretch. This year we will be in better shape. Last year, we weren’t in the best of shape and that’s on me,” Scott said.

The Irish posted a 9-15 season a year ago and of those losses, a handful of games were decided by only a few possessions. The ability to finish those types of games will turn the tide for Ursuline, according to Scott.

“We’re playing smarter than we did last year and we’re more up-tempo,” he said, “I think with us being a year older, I expect to pull out those types of games.”

With experience comes leadership, and Scott is looking to the team’s upperclassmen and experienced players to be the leaders both on and off the court. Junior Lily Scott will handle point guard duties and she leads on both sides of the floor.

“She controls everything. She’s the anchor of our defense and gets us started,” he said.

Senior Alayna Smith received high praise from Scott, who said she is the best all-around player and her versatility makes her one of the better players in the area. Junior Meridith Gray was likened to National Basketball Association standout Draymond Green.

“She does our dirty work, has a good IQ and is a good defender,” Scott said.

He also noted that junior Chelsea Johnson is an athlete who creates plays defensively and shines on offense in transition.

“(Senior) Grace Leslie and (sophomore) Katie Koulianos are solid post players for us, fill a role in that spot and give us good, solid minutes,” Scott said.

The addition of Senior Trinity Lamb, who didn’t play last year, will see time in the post.

“She took a year off to focus on volleyball, but she’s back this year, she’s strong and we’re happy to have her in the post,” Scott said.

Returning last year’s team has already shown itself to be a major difference. Scott said the team is clicking and is close to where they were last year.

“I think it’s going to help big time. You can see where we’re at now compared to last year. It shows how good it is to be a year older. With everyone returning, being able to get right into it is great. We have some freshmen that are going to play that are catching on really well,” Scott said.

The Irish will hang their hat on the defensive end this season. Scott said he anticipates the defensive output to be the deciding factor in how the season will go.

“We will depend on our defense,” he said. “Our defense will dictate how well we do this season. We can score, but we can’t rely on that night in and night out. We can rely on our defense to cause turnovers and stop scoring. It will help open up our offense. If we are consistent in our effort and execution on both ends of the court, we will put ourselves in a position to have a special season.”

One of the biggest changes in the offseason is the change from Division III to Division II, although Scott said Ursuline has boasted a pretty tough schedule in the past. In comparison to last season, the schedule is very similar.

“Moving up is going to be more challenging, but we’ve always played this kind of schedule anyway and we’ve always played tough teams. Entering the playoffs, we played only a couple of Division III schools. It’s going to be challenging, but we can compete,” Scott said.

The strength of schedule, according to Scott, is what makes the season special.

“We’re excited about the season and playing the tough schedule we have,” he said. “We have one of the toughest schedules in the area. I enjoy it because we can see where we are. We have to show up every night.”

Ursuline opens up the 2022 campaign against Howland Nov. 28.

nhawthorne@tribtoday.com