When the Roland Lady Rangers begin their 2023-24 basketball season at 6 p.m. Tuesday against Inola at the Ranger Dome, they will do so with a new coach.
After a previous stint at Roland and coaching at NOAA Conference rival Poteau, Scott Nelke returns to guide the Lady Rangers.
Nellie will have three starters from last year’s 19-11 team that lost 5745 to Idabel in the Class 3A Area Tournament at Ada. Back are senior guard Addison Cole, senior forward Lilly Medicine Bird and junior guard Haven Freeman.
Rounding out the roster are seniors Brooklyn Hallbauer, Kynlei Earnhart and Jazzlyn Tehee, juniors Julianna Trujillo, Brooklyn Decker and Laikyn Conway and freshmen Halle Freeman, Abigail Bower, Lillian Cole and Ryanne Nelke.
“We have some key returning starters, and some players that played a lot of varsity minutes,” Nelke said. “We’re adding a few younger players to the rotation.”
Nelke said his team is a bunch of hard workers.
“This group works extremely hard,” he said.
Nelke said that there are two strong points he likes about his team.
“We love to defend, and we like to share the ball on offense,” the new Roland girls coach said.
