Lily Watson, a 5-foot-7 junior forward for the Bexley High School girls basketball team, hasn't forgotten any of the MSL-Ohio Division opponents that defeated the Lions last season.

"I'm looking forward to getting back into the league and beating the teams who beat us last year," she said. "Bexley has always been the powerhouse in the league and last year we had a down season. This year we're looking forward to becoming that powerhouse team again."

Bexley finished 9-12 overall last season and lost to Hartley 37-34 in the first round of the Division II district tournament, marking the first time the Lions had lost in the first round since 2001.

The Lions went 6-8 in the MSL-Ohio to place fifth behind co-champions Granville (12-2) and Newark Catholic (12-2) as well as Heath (10-4) and Licking Valley (9-5). Rounding out the league were Columbus Academy (3-11), Lakewood (2-12) and Whitehall (2-12).

"It's going to be a tough league," said first-year coach Jim Strode, whose team opens Wednesday at home against Hartley before beginning MSL-Ohio play on Dec. 5 against visiting Heath. "You're not going to see 20- or 30-point wins.

"You have so many different styles of play in the league. Heath has one of the most prolific scorers in the area in Megan White (who averaged 24.0 points last season). Granville hangs its hat on pressure defense. You don't always know what you're going to get from Licking Valley, but you know it's going to be a well-coached team with an inside presence. Add in Newark Catholic, which has always been a solid team since it joined the Mid-State League."

Strode, whose previous coaching stint was at Centennial, replaced Rick Ferkel, who resigned after just one season with the Lions.

Among the players Bexley lost to graduation was 6-1 center Ashley Dennis, who averaged 22.4 points, or roughly half of the team's offensive production. The Lions averaged 48.8 points.

Dennis, who also averaged 10.4 rebounds, was named district Player of the Year.

"I don't expect that there's going to be one go-to player," Strode said when asked how his team would try to make up the offensive void. "There are going to be multiple go-to players. We could have a different leading scorer every night. I look at everyone on our roster as being able to hurt you with their strengths.

"A lot of people are not expecting a lot out of Bexley this year. They looked at Bexley as Ashley Dennis and the rest of the Lions. We've developed a sort of a chip on our shoulder. We want to prove we do have some ballplayers here."

In addition to Watson, among those expected to see significant playing time are 5-10 senior forward Rebecca Carroll, 5-6 senior point guards Danielle VanBibber, 5-5 junior guard Kylee Soga, 5-7 junior forward Jelicia Shelton and 5-3 sophomore guard Bailey Breese.

Last season, Watson averaged 5.6 points and 2.7 rebounds, Soga averaged 5.5 points and 2.7 rebounds, Carroll averaged 5.2 points and 6.5 rebounds and VanBibber averaged 3.8 points and 2.7 assists. Shelton's season was cut short, as she suffered an ACL tear in the second game.

Carroll made honorable mention all-district.

Strode anticipates help from some underclassmen as well as others who are getting a late start on basketball because of the girls soccer team's postseason run.

The soccer team did not finish its season until Nov. 14 when it lost to Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown 2-1 in the Division II state final.

"We need more depth," Strode said. "I don't think there are many disadvantages for the girls coming in off the soccer team. They're joining us in shape and with a winning attitude. You can't replace that."

The Lions hope to make up for their lack of height with pressure defense.

"We have to make our weakness our strength," Strode said. "The MSL has some real tree toppers, so we have to make it a point of emphasis of making our defense turn into our offense."

At a glance

•Opener: Wednesday vs. Hartley

•Key players: Rebecca Carroll, Kylee Soga and Lily Watson

Schedule

Dec. 2 vs. Hartley

*Dec. 5 vs. Heath

*Dec. 8 at Whitehall

*Dec. 11 vs. Granville

Dec. 12 at Worthington Kilbourne

*Dec. 15 vs. Newark Catholic

*Dec. 19 vs. Lakewood

Dec. 22 at Buckeye Valley

Dec. 28 vs. Beechcroft

Dec. 30 vs. Washington Court House

*Jan. 5 at Licking Valley

*Jan. 9 vs. Columbus Academy

*Jan. 12 vs. Whitehall

*Jan. 15 at Heath

*Jan. 23 at Granville

*Jan. 29 at Newark Catholic

*Feb. 2 at Lakewood

*Feb. 6 vs. Licking Valley

*Feb. 12 at Columbus Academy

*MSL-Ohio game