Saranac Redhawks Ready to Turn a Corner

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Saranac girls' basketball program showed plenty of promise and progress as a group during the summer. I had the opportunity to watch them compete at the Big North Shootout and Northwood Team Camp. It's easy to see why Coach Wells is feeling optimistic heading into his fourth season at the helm. They have the right combination of youthful energy and upperclassmen experience to turn a corner in the conference. Nobody knows their team better than the head coach. Chance Wells provided great responses about his Saranac program — let's take a closer look at the Redhawks!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2025-26 Schedule</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>12/8 </strong>at Byron, 6 PM; <strong>12/10</strong> vs Carson-City Crystal, 7 PM; <strong>12/11</strong> at Perry, 7 PM; <strong>12/16</strong> vs Lansing Christian, 7 PM; <strong>12/18</strong> vs Pewamo-Westphalia, 7 PM; <strong>1/6</strong> at Dansville, 7 PM; <strong>1/8</strong> vs Bath, 7 PM; <strong>1/13</strong> at Laingsburg, 7 PM; <strong>1/15</strong> vs Portland St. Patrick, 7 PM; <strong>1/21</strong> vs Fowler, 7 PM; <strong>1/23</strong> at Potterville, 7 PM; <strong>1/26</strong> at Fulton, 7 PM; <strong>1/28 </strong>vs Perry, 7 PM; <strong>1/30</strong> at Lansing Christian, 7 PM; <strong>2/4</strong> at Pewamo-Westphalia, 7 PM; <strong>2/6</strong> vs Dansville, 5:30 PM; <strong>2/11</strong> at Bath, 7PM; <strong>2/13</strong> vs Laingsburg, 7PM, <strong>2/17 </strong>at Ionia, 7 PM; <strong>2/20</strong> at Portland St. Patrick, 7 PM; <strong>2/24 </strong>at Fowler, 7 PM; <strong>2/26</strong> at Potterville, 7 PM.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>*According to MHSAA</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Question: What are your team's goals this season?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Response:</strong> "This will be my 4th year at Saranac, and since I have gotten here, we have been working to rebuild our program and establish a positive basketball culture. We have taken some very big steps forward, and I am thinking this will be the year that it comes together. Our biggest team goal is to win our District. We host, it is the last year we will be using our current gym, and we have some girls on our team with 4 years of Varsity experience. We have not won a District since 2010, and I think this season we have a real shot at winning our District and competing in our Region."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Head Coach Chance Wells</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Question: How would you summarize your team's strengths, style, and makeup based on newcomers/graduations?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Response:</strong> "I think our strengths this season are going to revolve around our depth and our togetherness. We are going to have 10-11 girls who can go out and contribute. We are going to be a team that defends with a lot of intensity and a team that shoots from the perimeter a lot. We lost our Point Guard in the second game of the season last year to an ACL injury, so we spent a lot of time after that having to "refine" our identity after that happened. We are going to be better now because of that."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Head Coach Chance Wells</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Returners</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1322845"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-690e0f19d312b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">"Excellent on-ball defender and floor general. Great leader."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Coach Wells</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1358239"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-690e0f19d31df"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">"Swiss army knife for us. Can guard all five positions on defense. Can plug her anywhere we need to on offense."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Coach Wells</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1248211"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-690e0f19d3264"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">"Can shoot, get to the rim, and handle it well. Probably the most naturally gifted girl in our program. Can defend at a high level."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Coach Wells</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1056237"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-690e0f19d32d9"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">"Can shoot it at a high level, the second she gets across halfcourt, spreads the floor for us a lot. And a good on-ball defender. She has been working very hard this offseason. I expect a big year from her."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Coach Wells</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1056236"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-690e0f19d334a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">"4th year varsity player. Really well-rounded offensively, great at seeing the floor once she creates an advantage getting downhill."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">-Coach Wells</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1251020"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-690e0f19d33bd"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">"High motor player who has worked very hard this offseason. Can grab offensive rebounds as well as she can shoot the 3. Good on-ball defender."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Coach Wells</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1358241"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-690e0f19d342b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">"One of the better shooters in our program. Spaces the floor well for us and has a very quick release. Led us in 3-point percentage last season."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Coach Wells</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->