For the first time in a long time, the Homewood-Flossmoor girls basketball team has some serious size. 

The Vikings will have a height advantage over just about every opponent this season. Rich Township transfer Ziko Okolo is 6-foot-1. Returning from injury, Ihuoma Ozoh is even taller at 6-3. Jordyn Williams is another 6-footer coming off the bench and Karma Ristau plays taller than her 5-10 frame.

Coach Tony Smith said his team is used to being one of the smallest in the area and will need time to adjust to all that height.

“We always want bigs but bigs are the last to develop. Guards can get it quicker. We have to develop our bigs,” Smith said. “They’ve still got work to do, and the guards have to learn how to get them the ball.”

The bigs got their chances in the season opener.

The Vikings broke the seal with a decisive 73-20 win over Romeoville Nov. 17 in the south gym. Okolo had 11 points, nine rebounds and a block. Ozoh and Ristau combined for six points and 10 rebounds in limited minutes.

“(Okolo) is a big addition. I love that she’s here,’” senior Aunyai Deere said. “She makes everything easier with the things she’s able to do.”

It was sophomore Katelyn Jones who led H-F with 12 points while Deere had 11 and junior Shyi’Lyn Jordan scored 10. 

“The objective is always to win, but it’s also to learn things that we got to work on for the upcoming game,” Deere said. “We need to keep building wins on top of each other.” 

The Spartans had 29 turnovers in that game and were held to eight points in the first half and only two in the final quarter. Sophomore Laila Williams had a whopping eight steals alone. The Vikings had 22 as a team.

“That (defense is) just a start,” Deere said. “We trying to keep on going from that. That’s just a building block.” 

The schedule won’t let up. H-F will head to the Naperville Central Invite to take on Batavia, Kenwood, Benet, St. Laurence and the host Redhawks. In early December, they’ll play in the Chicagoland Invitational Showcase against a strong opponent to be determined. Then they’ll head to Phoenix to play in the Nike Tournament of Champions against some of the best teams in the country. 

And that’s just the first half of the slate.

“Hopefully by midseason, (that size) is going to be a problem for a lot of teams,” Smith said. “That’s something we haven’t had.” 

Deere and Ozoh are the only seniors on the varsity roster. Deere said she’s trying to be more of a leader by being more vocal with some of the younger players. She wants to leave a lasting legacy at H-F.

“We going to win state,” Deere said. “We going to state.”