By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - Niles' varsity basketball team will open its much awaited season tonight when the Vikings host Gull Lake for a non-conference match-up and head coach Jim Arnold said his team has a big monumental task ahead of them.
The Vikings defeated the Blue Devils last year and Gull Lake took the win the year before that. This year, Arnold knows what it's going to take to open the season on the right foot.
Good talent which includes seven seniors, six being returning lettermen and Arnold said no doubt they are going to have to step up this year.
Returning for the Lady Vikes are starters Sarah Dreher and Brandie Radde. Both players earned All-Division and All-State honors last season and have both verbally agreed to play basketball next year for Division 1 schools.
Other returning lettermen are starting guard Megan Schameheorn, Jessica Shinsky, Stephanee Schrader and Rebecca Teske.
Newcomers this season is senior Lauryn Gibson, juniors Leigh Tyler and Amanda Pingel, sophomores Brittney Wolverton and Shelly Aurand and freshmen Lindsay Craig and Baysia Cox.
Standing 6-feet tall, Cox, who moved to Niles from Mishawaka this year, is the tallest member of the squad, which could give the Vikings some inside trouble.
But height or no height, Arnold and his Lady Vikes want nothing more than another memorable season, hoping to repeat the success Niles has seen for some time now.
Last season, the Vikings had a 22-3 record and advanced to quarterfinals, where they fell to Lansing Catholic Central, 57-45.
Tip off time is set for 7:30 p.m., with JV beginning at 5:30 p.m.