When your varsity basketball team is loaded with sophomores, there is going to be a learning curve.
Such is the case with this year’s Voorheesville girls basketball team. In Friday’s 51-41 Colonial Council home victory over Cobleskill-Richmondville, the Blackbirds (5-7 league, 7-7 overall) needed every ounce of offense they could get from their sophomores to fend off the hard-charging Bulldogs (0-13).
`We are trying to learn our lessons and trying to move them forward for next year,` said Voorheesville coach Robert Baron. `We’re going to try to get a few wins in Sectionals (this year) and see how far we can go.`
Baron used an all-sophomore starting lineup because two of his three seniors, Rebecca Bogart and Katina Wallace, were out with injuries. Though there were times where their inexperience showed, such as a scoring drought in the third quarter that nearly cost Voorheesville the lead, the sophomores rallied themselves to pull away from Cobleskill in the fourth quarter.
`I was very pleased with our effort tonight,` said Baron.
Cobleskill remained within striking distance most of the evening by playing aggressively at the offensive end, which led to several fouls against Voorheesville. The Bulldogs were in the double bonus after the Blackbirds committed their 10th team foul early in the fourth quarter.
`We got ourselves in foul trouble the whole night,` said Baron. `We have a tendency to put our hands on people, and we need to stop doing that.`
The one saving grace for Voorheesville was Cobleskill’s inability to hit free throws. The Bulldogs made seven of their 18 foul shots, which made it difficult for them to close the gap.
Still, Cobleskill was within three points of Voorheesville late in the third quarter. That’s when the Blackbirds started getting the ball inside to forward Jordan Pettograsso. The sophomore scored 10 of her 12 points over the final 10 minutes to help Voorheesville pull away.
`We played the pick and roll (with Pettograsso finishing the plays) pretty well,` said Baron. `And when we weren’t fouling them, we played pretty good defense, too.`
Sophomore guard Rachel Blow also scored 12 points in her first start of the season. Blow replaced Bogart in the lineup.
`She plays a good, aggressive game,` Baron said of Blow.
Dani Rappleyea had 11 points to lead Cobleskill, while Maya Nichols and Erin Pacatte each added seven points.
Voorheesville has four games left in the regular season to get ready for the Section II Class B playoffs, and Baron said all he wants to see now is progress from his young team.
`As long as they’re making the commitment to improving every game and playing hard, then I’m good with that. I’m a patient man,` said Baron.