If last weekend’s Lady Dutch Holiday Tournament is any indication, then the Guilderland girls basketball team is back on track.
The Lady Dutch are off to their first 2-0 start in several years following victories over Horseheads (Section IV) and Bishop Maginn.
Both games weren’t decided until the final four minutes, but we played like a veteran team in both instances, which bodes well for us the rest of the season, said Guilderland coach Frank Cacckello.
The Lady Dutch should play like a veteran team. They return five key players from last year’s team ` the only Cacckello-coach Guilderland squad to not finish with a winning record ` including three players with three years of varsity experience.
`Having three seniors that have been around for three years, you forget we have some experience to go along with our youth,` said Cacckello.
The seniors ` Jen Madsen, Mackenzie Michele and Alicia Bowman ` all made significant contributions in Guilderland’s two victories, but it was junior guard Kat Keegan that sparked the Lady Dutch offense. Keegan scored a team-high 15 points in Guilderland’s 58-51 victory over Horseheads in last Friday’s opener and added 10 points in Saturday’s 40-35 win against Bishop Maginn.
Michele and junior shooting guard Erin Kelly also had some big performances at the offensive end of the court. Michele netted 11 points in the victory over Bishop Maginn, while Kelly scored 14 points in the win against Horseheads.
Cacckello said having different players contributing points will be a theme for Guilderland this season.
`In the last week (of practices) before the tournament, we started to understand some (offensive) concepts,` said Cacckello. `In the Horseheads game, we put up 58 points, and we spread the offense around.`
Guards such as Madsen, Michele, Kelly and Keegan will likely be the players most responsible for scoring points as Cacckello introduces some new concepts to the offense.
`We’re gradually moving to a four-guard system,` said Cacckello. `It won’t happen this year, but we’re introducing some new stuff offensively in preparation for moving to a four-guard system.`
That doesn’t mean starting forwards Bowman and Melissa Winne won’t have a say in Guilderland’s on-court performance. Cacckello sees them as key players at both ends of the floor, especially near the basket.
`Both of our (starting) forwards had 10-plus rebounds in both (tournament) games, and they had to battle some tough kids to get those rebounds,` said Cacckello.
Likewise, the Lady Dutch will have to battle some tough teams to get wins in the realigned Suburban Council. They are now in the South Division with Colonie, Bethlehem, Averill Park, Columbia and Mohonasen, and Cacckello doesn’t see an easy game against any of them.
`On paper, you could claim our division is going to be tough, but you never know what can happen,` he said. `Having to play those teams twice is going to be tough, but everything we do is built to prepare for Sectionals.`
Guilderland begins its Suburban Council season Wednesday when it hosts Averill Park in a South Division game. The Lady Dutch are then off until Tuesday, Dec. 9, when they visit Colonie.“
