The 2012 – 13 Ansonia Girls Basketball team is coming off a successful previous season.
The Lady Chargers posted a 15 – 8 record last year with the 15 wins being the most for the program in more than 30 years.
Ansonia returns three starters from last year: leading scorer Melissa Tirella, All-NVL 1st team (15.4 points per game), point guard Tierney Lawlor, All-Brass 1st team (11.3 ppg) and center Quanisha Finney (7 rebounds per game).
That is where the experience ends.
“We return 3 starters, which is great but that is where our varsity experience ends. We have about 5 or 6 girls battling to fill the other 2 starting spots and solidify our bench,” explained Patrick Lynch, going into his 4th year (38 – 29) as Ansonia’s Head Coach.
“We played 4 scrimmages this preseason because I needed these girls to get a feel for the varsity level.”
All three returning starters are captains and their leadership will play a key role bringing along the rest of the inexperienced Chargers. The girls who will need to step up to fill the open holes are juniors Devon Champen, Morgan Westine and Grace Keener as well as sophomores Jacquelyn Daniels and Shayllah Dobson.
Senior Jessica Markelon figures to also be in the battle for minutes as well but has been battling a shoulder injury that has had her out of practice since late November.
“The new girls are coming along, most played JV last year and that’s it,” said Lynch. “It’s a learning experience for them but they will need to grow up fast. As long as a few of them step up each night we play, we should be able to compete with most of the teams in the NVL.”
Ansonia finished 4th in the NVL last year and 2nd in the Brass Division behind Watertown.
They will be tested early as they open the season hosting St. Paul Friday night and then travel to Watertown on Tuesday, December 11th.
“We will know where we stand right away playing St. Paul and Watertown,” said Lynch. “They are two of the better teams in the league and like us both return their leading scorer. Our girls just need to keep working hard and getting better every day.”
