Scouting Carmel Catholic
EAST SUBURBAN CATHOLIC
CARMEL
Coach: Ben Berg (third season, first since 2009-10)
Last season: 19-12, 3-4 in ESCC, lost to Johnsburg in Class 3A Johnsburg regional semifinals
Key losses: F Daija Pruitt, G Jennifer Giesey
Returning players: Jr. G Shai Horton (5-7), So. G Katie Lach (5-9), Jr. G Caitlin Teehan (5-4), So. G Ranya Jamison (5-3), Jr. F Brigit Barr (5-11), Sr. F Maddie Motzel (5-10)
Newcomers: So. F Kaytlyn Matz (5-10), So. G Rachel Mooney (5-9), Jr. G Grace Jones (5-9), So. G Olivia Vinci (5-3), Jr. F Taryn Dwyer (5-8)
Outlook: Seven years ago, Ben Berg made a choice that he knew he had to make. He stepped down as the Corsairs' girls basketball coach so he could raise his three young children (Benjamin, Emma and Lauren). His wife, Jen, had succumbed to breast cancer just before the start of the season, in October of 2009. Now, he's back, replacing Kelly Perz, who replaced him following the 2009-10 season. "I thought this was the right time (to come back to being a head coach)," Berg said. "I thought at that time (2010) it was the right time to leave. ... For all the reasons why I left, I think I had all the right reasons to come back. It's a great group of girls. Great staff members." Berg's son Benjamin is now a sophomore, Emma is a freshman basketball player and Lauren is 10. "They needed Dad at home (after Jen passed away)," Berg said. "They deserved to have Dad at home, and I wanted to be at home." Berg has coached and taught at Carmel since 1988. He's excited about running his old program again and inherits a group that includes Katie Lach and Ranya Jamison, both of whom started as freshmen for Perz last season. Junior post Brigit Barr also returns to the starting lineup, but the Corsairs graduated all-area forward Daija Pruitt (9.7 ppg, 8 rpg), and this season's squad has only one senior in Maddie Motzel, who's in her third varsity campaign. The season-opening lineup featured sophomores Lach, Jamison and Kaytlyn Matz, Barr and fellow junior Shai Horton. Horton and 5-foot-4 guard Caitlin Teehan got increased playing-time as last season progressed. "We're trying to find ourselves a little bit yet," Berg said following Monday's season-opening loss to Glenbrook South. "I told them the best thing now is to go back out and play again. We'll play better, but we got a lot to learn yet. It's a learning curve for them."