|
|
|
In the earliest stages of Wallenpaupack Area’s exhibition opener against Holy Cross, Annie Vega just couldn’t buy a basket.
The Lady Bucks’ senior forward misfired on a pair of power moves, failed to convert a lay-up in transition and clanked her first two perimeter shots.
Not exactly the type of start veteran hoops Coach Bob Donovan was hoping for from his top returning player.
Holy Cross took advantage of Paupack’s offensive struggles, posting a 13-5 bulge in an unofficial “first quarter.” The Lady Bucks huddled with their men-tor during the next period, which was reserved for JV players.
Coach Donovan calmed his girls down, tweaked his offense a bit, then sent them back out on the floor. Whatever her said in that huddle, Paupack’s starting five took it to heart...especially the frustrated Vega.
Bouncing Back
When the Lady Bucks returned to the hardwood, Annie went on a rampage.
Vega scored the first 10 points of the period as Paupack raced to a 12-0 lead. By the time the varsity finally yielded the floor to their JV counterparts, Paupack had posted a 15-3 advantage.
“We’re going to count on An-nie for alot this year,” Bob told TWI Sports. “She’s a very good, experienced player and she has to do well for us to succeed.”
Vega was among Paupack’s leaders in just about every offensive category last winter. An-nie averaged double figures in both points & rebounds.
She is a daunting presence both on the perimeter and in the post. Vega is a southpaw who can play with her back to the basket or step out and drain a middle-range jumper.
Annie also runs the floor well in transition and plays solid interior defense.
“That was great to see,” said Coach Donovan of Vega’s much-improved play. “I think we were just trying to do too much. Once we calmed down and established some rhythm, we played a whole lot better.”
Paupack opens its 2009-‘10 regular season schedule on Friday evening.
The Lady Bucks are slated to host the Hawley Rotary Club’s annual tip-off tournament. This year’s edition of the event will feature Paupack, Carbondale, Honesdale & Western Wayne.
Stay tuned to TWI Sports for complete coverage of the Rotary Tournament and Paupack’s girls basketball season.
Ups & Downs.
Last winter, the Lady Bucks struggled through a rough season in the Lackawanna League.
In the earliest stages of Wallenpaupack Area’s exhibition opener against Holy Cross, Annie Vega just couldn’t buy a basket.
The Lady Bucks’ senior forward misfired on a pair of power moves, failed to convert a lay-up in transition and clanked her first two perimeter shots.
Not exactly the type of start veteran hoops Coach Bob Donovan was hoping for from his top returning player.
Holy Cross took advantage of Paupack’s offensive struggles, posting a 13-5 bulge in an unofficial “first quarter.” The Lady Bucks huddled with their men-tor during the next period, which was reserved for JV players.
Coach Donovan calmed his girls down, tweaked his offense a bit, then sent them back out on the floor. Whatever her said in that huddle, Paupack’s starting five took it to heart...especially the frustrated Vega.
Bouncing Back
When the Lady Bucks returned to the hardwood, Annie went on a rampage.
Vega scored the first 10 points of the period as Paupack raced to a 12-0 lead. By the time the varsity finally yielded the floor to their JV counterparts, Paupack had posted a 15-3 advantage.
“We’re going to count on An-nie for alot this year,” Bob told TWI Sports. “She’s a very good, experienced player and she has to do well for us to succeed.”
Vega was among Paupack’s leaders in just about every offensive category last winter. An-nie averaged double figures in both points & rebounds.
She is a daunting presence both on the perimeter and in the post. Vega is a southpaw who can play with her back to the basket or step out and drain a middle-range jumper.
Annie also runs the floor well in transition and plays solid interior defense.
“That was great to see,” said Coach Donovan of Vega’s much-improved play. “I think we were just trying to do too much. Once we calmed down and established some rhythm, we played a whole lot better.”
Paupack opens its 2009-‘10 regular season schedule on Friday evening.
The Lady Bucks are slated to host the Hawley Rotary Club’s annual tip-off tournament. This year’s edition of the event will feature Paupack, Carbondale, Honesdale & Western Wayne.
Stay tuned to TWI Sports for complete coverage of the Rotary Tournament and Paupack’s girls basketball season.
Ups & Downs.
Last winter, the Lady Bucks struggled through a rough season in the Lackawanna League.
Coach Donovan’s girls went just 3-11 in Division One, win-ning only one game in the entire second half.
Abington Heights battled its way to yet another Division One championship. The Comets finished 13-1 overall, going 7-0 in the second half of the season. Scranton ended up second at 12-2, while Prep was third with a 10-4 mark.
Paupack did advance to the District Two tournament, but was eliminated in the semifinals by Hazleton Area, 43-40. The local lasses, who were ranked #5 in the bracket, opened with a solid win over fourth rated Pittston Area. The final score in that one was 53-40.
The Lady Bucks’ offensive flow was disrupted by an injury to junior Olivia Hessling.
Paupack’s talented point guard bravely hobbled her way through the season despite being severely limited by a torn-up knee. Hessling was in the line-up more often than not, but obviously limited by a large, bulky knee brace.
Thankfully for Paupack fans, Liv appears well on the way to a full recovery. She turned in a record-setting softball season, winning the Lackawanna League battling title with a sizzling .545 Division One average.
Against Holy Cross, Hessling ran the floor with reckless abandon. She played suffocating defense, ignited the Lady Bucks’ fastbreak offense and set up her teammates for easy baskets.
“We need Liv’s presence at point guard,” Coach Donovan said. “We run most of our offense through her, so she dictates alot of what we do.”
Supporting Cast
Several other solid players will join Vega and Hessling on the hardwood this winter.
Jillian Alderfer will see some serious time in the starting line-up. Another member of this talented senior class, Alderfer missed most of last season with mononucleosis.
“I think Jill’s going to surprise some people this year,” Coach Donovan said. “She had a really bad case of mono and never got up to full strength. Jill is a very talented, athletic kid.”
Rachel Ensslen, Molly Silsby and Jerica Rode are also in the mix. All are juniors and each should play a key role for Paupack during the campaign.
In Thursday’s exhibition battle with Holy Cross, three other girls made their presence felt.
Jenna Valenza knocked down the Lady Bucks’ first perimeter jay with 4:11 to go in the opening stanza.
Freshmen Kaelin Ragonese and Alexis Roman also etched their names in the varsity scorebook.
Ragonese stole the ball and took it coast-to-coast for a fastbreak lay-up. Roman hauled down an offen-sive rebound and powered the ball back up for a bucket as the buzzer sounded to end the second quarter.
