Not often will coaches heap pressure like that riding on the shoulders of Amanda Luckett.

The senior post will carry the brunt of the offense for the Inglemoor High basketball team, and along with it, the biggest chances for success this winter.

“Amanda has to have looks every time down the floor, and that doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be scored by her, but the ball has to go in to her or we have to acknowledge her presence in order for anything else to open up,” Inglemoor coach Kristina Schumacher said.

A few minutes into the Vikings’ KingCo opener against Eastlake, it was easy to see why Luckett bears such a responsibility. She’s listed, perhaps a gross understatement, at 6-foot-1 on the roster and stands out as a force under the rim.

Inglemoor’s first points against Eastlake came on a lobbed pass into the key. Luckett caught and shot, nearly in one motion, and the ball hardly touched the rim.

The scary reality for conference opponents is that Luckett is more than size and accuracy, she has the footwork and quickness to be an effective defender on the perimeter and to take a guard off the dribble.

The offense feeds inside-out, either to collapse the defense or for Luckett — who led the team in shooting percentage last season — to score.

“We have set plays for Amanda, but we have set plays for our guards, who are just as good,” Schumacher said. “If we’re playing an up-tempo game, the guards will get their fair share of looks in transition and Amanda will get hers when we’re actually going to run some offense.”

The guards, seniors Emily Massad and Nicole Rauch, have vastly different strengths. Rauch has a good touch from the perimeter, while Massad can get to the rim “whenever she wants,” Schumacher said.

The challenge is learning which shots best fit into the offense, and learning how to mesh with a host of new faces.

Luckett earned all-conference honorable-mention status last winter, but is the only returning all-conference player. The Vikings lost five seniors, including Air Force Academy recruit Ifeoma Emeka and point guard Mackenzie Gardener, and had several players decide not to come out for basketball.

“This opportunity has risen for five or six girls that probably weren’t looking at varsity spots this year, but that doesn’t mean they’re not ready for it,” Schumacher said. “I tell them that if they play the way they can and they accept a role they can be a critical part of this team.”

The result is three sophomores and a freshman on the varsity team, which will have to compete in a tough conference.

“What’s exciting is that they’re young, so they’re embracing it,” Schumacher said. “It’s not like it’s seniors who feel like they should have played the past few years. These kids that are accepting these new roles are young and they’re ready to give you what you’re asking for.”

The Vikings won their first two games before dropping the conference opener, 54-37, and are scheduled to play Skyline at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 9 at home.