WARSAW – The Warsaw basketball roster for the 2016-17 campaign has a lot of familiar faces on it.

More importantly, it has a lot of seniors on it.

The Tigers, who did not have a senior a year ago, will boast plenty of experience this time around for coach Michelle Harter.

Warsaw heads into the season with six seniors back from last year’s team that rebounded to go 11-14 and finish as Class 4-A Goshen Sectional runner-up to eventual state champion Penn. The Tigers recovered in a big way after an 0-9 start against a brutal early-season schedule.

The senior class is tested and loaded with talent. The group has been a big part of the varsity since they hit the floor as sophomores two years ago and have played a ton of basketball together.

How will all that familiarity and experience play out this season?

“I think that it’s a big benefit for us this year to have the seniors we do,” said coach Harter. “They have another year of that experience of playing together. They have another year of growth from last year. They overcame some adversity last year and I think gained a lot of knowledge.

“They spent a lot of time working in the offseason and I’ve been very pleased with how we are progressing in the preseason. Now it’s just about putting it all together on the court.”

Senior star Dayton Groninger will be a big key for the fortunes of the orange and black. The smooth 5-10 guard, who recently signed to play at Indiana Wesleyan University next year, averaged a team-high 13 points-per-game as a junior. Groninger, who has been named to the IFN All-Area first team and All-NLC each of the past two years, also led her team in rebounding at eight per game and topped the squad in both assists and steals.

“Dayton has improved her game from last year,” noted Harter. “We’re just looking for her to do the little things this year and be a leader for us.”

The outstanding duo of guard Madi Graham and forward Page Desenberg, both seniors, will need to do a lot of heavy lifting this year too. The hard-nosed 5-9 Graham, who earned first-team All-NLC honors as a junior, averaged nine points per game last season and led the Tigers with 35 treys. Desenberg, a 5-8 load of hustle, energy and floor burns, averaged five points and five rebounds per game. Desenberg has committed to play at North Central College, an NCAA Division III program in Illinois, next year. She was an All-NLC honorable mention pick last year.

“We need to get leadership from everyone this season, but Dayton, Madi and Page are our most experienced players and we expect a lot from all of them,” said Harter.

The senior trio of guards Mariah Rivera and Kenzie Welk and post player Abby Glass complete the Class of 2017. Both Rivera and Welk averaged five points per game last season.

A big question is how well will the Tigers put the ball in the bucket this season. Warsaw shot just 38 percent from the field as a team last year, including only 28 percent from 3-point land. The Tigers must shoot the ball better collectively this time around after averaging just 44 points-per-game last season.

“Our shooting has to be better this year and I believe that it will be,” remarked Harter. “I think that with another year of growth and strength that will help us.

“The big key for us is improving every day. The important thing is are we improving each night and each game. That’s what we have to be concerned with. We have to make sure that we are doing the little things that will allow us to be successful.

“Our defensive effort will be key. That’s one thing that we can control every game. I like how well this group plays together and how they communicate.”

The Tiger roster also includes junior guards Kennedy Patton, Miah Holsclaw and Jessie Kersey and forward Emma Bohnenkamper. Kersey is out indefinitely after having knee surgery last week. The sophomore duo of 5-9 forward Kacy Bragg and 5-5 guard Maddie Ryman and freshman Kaylee Patton, a 5-9 guard, are also in the mix. Bragg, who just came off a stellar volleyball season, averaged three points and three rebounds per game her freshman year.

Harter, who is 116-66 in her eight seasons in charge of the program, says team goals are the same this year.

“Our expectations are the same as in the past,” noted Harter. “We want to win the Northern Lakes Conference, win our own holiday tourney and win the sectional.”

Warsaw, which went 6-1 to finish second in the NLC last season behind champion Northridge (7-0), opens its season by hosting Fort Wayne Luers on Nov. 5.