The Henryville girls’ basketball team hopes adding two things this season may help the squad bounce back from last year’s 10-13 campaign.

This year’s Hornets are both deeper and more athletic than last year’s version, and Guernsey says those two ingredients could go a long time in making this year’s team a contender.

“Teams got us in both of those areas a year ago,” said Guernsey, entering his 24th season as Hornet coach. “I think we’re more equipped there this year and it will be a big boost.”

Guernsey feels this year’s squad could go as many as nine players deep — headlined by returning senior Abby Taylor (who averaged nearly 14 points per game last season) and sophomore Allison Knox (who was the squad’s second-leading scorer a year ago).

“Those two are where the other teams probably will start out focusing on,” said Guernsey. “They’re talented offensive players who proved they can play at this level last season.”

Returning as well are senior Katie Guernsey, who was bothered by an injury most of last season, junior Carissa Embry and junior Tyna Harbold.

There’s also a list of three newcomers who spent time on the junior varsity squad a year ago, including senior Jasmine Atkins and sophomores Hannah Gilstrap and Sarah Richey. Three others are completely new to the program, Christian Academy of Indiana transfer Jenna and Jasmine Harrell and junior Ashley Dickerson — who has starred on Henryville’s back-to-back sectional winning softball teams and is playing hoops for the first time since junior high.

“Her athleticism is something that we may have lacked in years past,” Guernsey said about Dickerson. “She should be able to come in and be a key defender.

“We really feel like we can go as many as nine-deep this year and we haven’t had that in a couple of seasons. I like where we are, but we’ve still got a ways to go.”

Guernsey says that no team in the Southern Athletic Conference can be dismissed this season.

“Top to bottom, it may be as strong as I can remember it being,” Guernsey said. “New Washington, in my opinion, has a lot of talent back this year. South Central does it every year it seems like. Borden and Crothersville are both coming off good years. I see it being a tough race from start to finish.”