SOMERS - A couple of seasons ago, UW-Parkside women's basketball coach Jenny Kenesie implemented a rule for her players on the defensive end. After the Rangers make a basket, all five players on the floor must slap the court with both hands

Coming into the 2008-09 season, six new freshmen players had to learn the rule - and quickly - because a good portion of them were thrown right into the fire.

They didn't come out unscathed, but they did come out stronger players.

With seven upperclassmen on the roster, but only two players - Amanda Gibson and Denise Mannella - having logged significant minutes for the NCAA Division II program the previous season, Kenesie has had to lean on freshmen Brittany Beyer, Jadee Rooney, Kaitlyn Bettiga and Amy Selk from the start.

And as one might expect with that many underclassmen, the Rangers suffered some growing pains. They lost their first four games - the first three by an average of 14.7 points. Then came a two-point loss Nov. 21 on the road to Robert Morris College in Chicago.

"I anticipated that we'd have a slow start and that we'd have to be really patient as a team and a coaching staff," Kenesie said.

Then, all of a sudden, it came together. A 13-point victory over Kentucky Wesleyan Dec. 4. A 75-67 win over Southern Indiana two days later. By Jan. 11, the Rangers had won 10 straight games, including their first four games in Great Lakes Valley Conference play. They've beaten defending Division II champion Northern Kentucky and already have clinched a spot in the GLVC Tournament with an 11-2 mark (they're 15-7 overall).

In her seventh season as coach of Parkside, Kenesie was able to bottle the youthful energy and blend it with the limited experience she had.

"It was most difficult to get those returners to understand don't get so down being 0-4, there's a lot of season left," said Kenesie, a former standout point guard at Kenosha St. Joseph and the University of Louisville. "I think the freshmen came in understanding that it was going to be completely different and they were still in the learning process.

"I don't think they (the freshmen) really understood the win-loss column early on, where the returners had experienced some success in the past."

Gibson, a junior guard and team captain, never wavered during the early season struggles. She scored 11.9 points per game and was the GLVC leader in assists (5 per game) last season. She also set a Parkside record for 3-point shooting at 42.7 percent.

Gibson has elevated her play with the new core of players. Entering play Saturday, Gibson leads the GLVC in minutes played at 35.3 and is sixth in the conference in scoring at 16.3. She's dropped to fourth in assists per game at 4.3 from a year ago, but the decline in assists can be attributed to Gibson's versatility. When freshman guard Bettiga comes off the bench, Gibson switches to shooting guard.

Gibson loves the energy that the freshmen bring to the Rangers and relishes being their leader. She also can't remember a better stretch of basketball that she's been a part of than the 10-game winning streak.

"Everyone on our team, we have a bunch of people that are used to winning and they don't like losing," Gibson said. "We really committed to blending well on the court. We just starting clicking."

Gibson also is Kenesie's extension on the court.

"(Gibson) has been having a phenomenal year and has done a really good job, not only so much producing on the floor, but making people around her better," Kenesie said. "(It) has taken a lot of pressure off these freshmen that have to play a lot of minutes.

"I don't think they would be as successful if it wasn't for someone like Amanda Gibson who's really taken a lot of pressure off them and let them grow."

Beyer, a forward, and Rooney, a guard-forward combo player, have progressed immensely. Beyer is averaging 11.9 points a game and leads the team in rebounding at 7.1 per game. Rooney leads the team with 44 3-point baskets and is tied with Gibson in 3-point percentage at 37.6.

"When I came into the season, I felt really comfortable here," Beyer said. "I think the offense really works to my advantage."

Parkside's roster doesn't include any Racine-area players, but that doesn't mean Kenesie hasn't tried to bring in some local talent to fill out her roster. She and the Rangers just missed out on area talent that made the leap to Division I.

"Recruiting-wise we do our best to look around locally, absolutely," Kenesie said. "If you look at the strong players in the Kenosha and Racine area, (they've) went and played Division I and that's obviously always a challenge to recruit over Division I (schools). We've never missed out on a Racine or Kenosha kid that's went to another Division II school."

With five games left in the regular season - including a rematch with Northern Kentucky on the road - Kenesie looks for the young Rangers to bear down.

"Obviously we have good days and bad days and nobody's perfect," Kenesie said. "I wouldn't trade them for anything. This young group, the sky is the limit for them."