Athletes who improve drastically from one season to the next are the kind coaches love to talk about.

Oak Harbor forward Abbie Gezo is that kind of a player.

Gezo, a 5-foot-9 junior center, has made great strides from her last season, drastically raising her scoring this season to 12.5 points while establishing herself as one of the primary threats for the Rockets. She’s helped to form a formidable frontcourt duo with leading scorer Allison Dunn, who is averaging 15 points.

The key to Gezo’s turnaround this season stems from the hard work she put forth during the offseason.

Abbie Gezo(45) goes to the basket in her team's 58-52 loss to Sandusky St. Mary Monday. Gezo had 16 points and 5 rebounds. (Press photo by Harold Hamilton/HEHphotos.lifepics.com)

During the offseason, Gezo, who has been playing basketball since fourth grade, competed in AAU basketball, during which she refined her skills against elite competition. It was during this time that Gezo, known primarily for her work in the post, developed her outside shot, which has helped to expand her game.

“AAU helped because you’re playing against tougher competition,” said Gezo.

Oak Harbor head coach Brad Hemminger, now in his second season, credits Gezo for being focused and how it helped motivate her in sustaining a work ethic during the offseason.

“I think the most important thing was her mindset,” Hemminger said. “She decided she likes the game and wanted to be a player, which in turn, made her work much harder. She works hard every day, game or practice, it doesn’t matter.”

Coming into the season, a heavy burden was placed on the shoulders of Gezo, who is attempting to fill the void left by Kayla Diefenthaler and Caitlin Harvey, two 5-10 post players who graduated last summer. Last season, Diefenthaler, a second-team All-Sandusky Bay Conference selection, averaged 12.3 points and 6.2 rebounds and Harvey chipped in with 5.2 points and 4.5 rebounds.

“I was behind Kayla Diefenthatler and Caitlin Harvey, the two tallest people on the team,” said Gezo, “and I wanted to match their work ethic. I had to fill their spot(s).”

This season, Gezo has served as an inside presence in the team’s offense, one that is run by point guard Makayla Carpenter and is keyed by the play of Dunn.

“(Abbie) makes our offense work well,” said Hemminger. “Maria (Boers) shoots outside, Abbie is mostly (playing) inside, and (there’s) Allison inside and out. Having Abbie really balances out our offense.”

Thus far, Hemminger is rather pleased with the job Gezo has done in manning the post.

“She has given us a scoring presence in the post that I was worried we wouldn’t have,” said Hemminger. “She’s isn’t the defensive presence those two were, but she has been solid on defense. She also gives us a physical presence in the middle which we really need since we aren’t a very physical team.”

Unfortunately, the Rockets, who went 11-10 (7-7 SBC) last season, have fallen on hard times, losing three in a row to put them at 4-8 overall and 1-7 in the SBC.

“There are no bad teams in the SBC,” said Gezo. “You can never take a night off against these teams.”

If Oak Harbor is to embark on a midseason run like it did last season to turn its fortunes around, Hemminger says it must do two things: (1) improve its defense and (2) become more physical — he says both been lacking for much of the season.

Gezo, who lives in Graytown and plays volleyball in the fall, maintains a 3.7 grade point average and is a member of The National Honor Society.

Following high school, Gezo is hoping to continuing playing basketball at the collegiate level, hopefully at a nearby school.

Needless to say, Gezo has earned the admiration of Hemminger.

“She has come farther in the last year that I ever expected she would,” he said. “All the credit to her.”

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