Nannies build a young team around one returning senior

PATEROS – The Nannies varsity basketball team lost four key seniors to graduation last June and with Sarah Poole as the only veteran and senior returning to the team this year, first-year head coach John Ellis will be working to get his young team quickly up to speed.
Returning juniors include Andrea Baird and Samantha White. Of the four freshmen on the team this year, one, Aleeka Smith, played varsity as an eighth grader and showed remarkable poise on the court against older, experienced opponents. Joining Smith are fellow freshmen Anna Williams, Jillian Piechalski, and Jennifer Flores.
Eighth graders Angie Gonzalez, Alley Piechalski, Naili Hernandez and Jennifer Flores round out the roster.
The Nannies are coming off a winning 2016-17 season with 15 wins and three losses, two of those in playoff games against Wilson Creek and district champion, Entiat. Their home record of 7-2 nearly matched their road record of 8-1.
The Nannies bumped up a tough Yakima Tribal team at Toppenish last Thursday, Nov. 30, in their road opener and ended up on the short end of a 66-30 score. Pateros was scheduled to play the Eagles at Soap Lake on Tuesday, Dec. 5. The Nannies will host Central Washington 1B League rival Moses Lake Christian at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7.