Ronan Maidens making their mark in basketball

By KYLIE RICHTER

Lake County Leader

The Ronan Maidens are quietly making their mark in District 6B basketball this year. 

With one week to go before tournaments, second-year head coach Shelly Buhr’s team is undefeated in conference play and has an overall record of 12-4. Buhr says the girls are excited. “We always have things we can work on, but right now we are just trying to get polished up going into tournaments,” she said.

Buhr can’t pinpoint one reason for this year’s success compared to last year’s middle-of-the-pack finish, but said extremely hard work and the girls’ experience of playing together are contributors.

A couple other factors that have changed from last year are the additions of freshman guard Micalann McCrea and transfer Alicia Camel. 

Camel joined her cousin, standout senior guard Lee Camel, halfway through the season after completing the mandatory probation period required by the Montana High School Association. The MHSA states that a player is ineligible for varsity play for 90 days after transferring schools. That period ended, and Camel recently started playing varsity ball, coming off the bench for the Maidens. One of those performances included a 14-point game against Troy this past Saturday, when Ronan stomped on Troy 54-31.

Another important player off the bench for the Maidens is 5-foot 5-inch freshman Micalann McCrea. Her energy, quickness, passing skills, and defensive presence make a big impact for the team, who often put on a full court press.

Senior captain Aspen Jore says McCrea is an important and great addition to the team. “She is a spitfire,” Jore says. “She kind of skipped Freshman and JV ball and now has a big role on varsity. She is doing really well coming in to give Jordyn Clairmont a break.”

The transition for middle school sports to high school sports can be hard, but McCrea says she has a great group of seniors to help her out. “It is a great experience being a freshman and hanging out with such a great group of girls,” she said. “The seniors are really great to me. Aspen Jore helps me out a lot, and I look up to her.” She also said playing with the same group of girls in middle school and in summer tournaments has helped to make them a better team. “We are really patient and have good ball movement,” she said. 

“I think we are pretty disciplined, and we work hard in practice.” Buhr is excited about McCrea. “She is young, but a great player,” Buhr said. “She is going to become a more and more important part of the team.”  Jore, a 5-foot 9-inch senior captain, says the team is coming together at the perfect time right before the tournament. “We’ve worked really well together and we all get along,” Jore said. “We’re having fun as a team. I think we are all individually very talented, and being able to work together has made us a great team.”

Jore said there are a few things to work on before tournament time next week — but if the past 16 games are any indication, the Ronan Maidens may have a few more weeks to perfect their game.