DALEVILLE, Ind. — This winter, the Daleville Broncos girls basketball team has been no stranger to making history. Their 13-game winning streak was the longest in program history, surpassing the 5-game run they put together midway through last season. Their 14-5 record gives them a .736 winning percentage. As it stands, it is the highest single-season winning percentage in school history.
“They were humble about it, you know?” said Head Coach Joe Rench. “We took it one game at a time. I kept stressing how important just each game is at a time.”
Joe Rench took over the reins at Daleville going into last season. In two years with the Broncos, he is already the 3rd winningest girls basketball coach in school history, with a record of 29-13.
“He cares a lot more than any of the other coaches that I’ve had in my four years of playing basketball,” said Makenna Corbin, a senior guard for the Broncos. “I think he puts in a lot more time than my other coaches have in the past.”
Rench says that the team has been successful because of their unselfish play on the court. Daleville has three players averaging double-digit scoring. The scoring surge can be attributed to the Broncos solid ball movement on offense, averaging 14 assists a game.
“We used to be one and two-dimensional. But now, we’ve done a really good job of getting everybody involved,” Rench said.
The girls say a lot of their improvement on the court is due to better habits in practice each day.
“We are all practicing harder,” said Olivia Pratcher, a junior point guard who averages 16 points, eight rebounds, and six assists per game. “We’re doing things to improve, and I think that it’s definitely helping and making a difference.”
Daleville will host Tri Friday night in their regular-season finale. Both teams will enter the game with a 14-5 record. For the Broncos, their final game will be a good way to see where the team stands before facing a tough playoff draw in Class 1A.
“In our sectional alone, six of the eight teams have winning records, so the competition’s a little bit different,” said Rench.
Daleville will tip off the postseason against North Miami on Feb. 3 at Southern Wells High School.
Contact Jayden Collins with comments at jayden.collins@bsu.edu.
