Young Oakville Girls Team Opens Season Against Visitation

The girls basketball team will look almost entirely new this season, with only one returning starter.

“We’re really young this year. Six of my top seven scorers all left,” said Coach Aaron Bosch, who enters his second year as head coach. 

The Tigers went 10-15 last winter and lost eight seniors to graduation. Four of those seniors were starters, including lead scorer Leslie DeGonia, who averaged 11.9 points a game.

“We have a lot of talent in the younger ages, we’re very athletic, so I’m hoping that’ll get us through the first part of the season,” Bosch said. “I think by the end of the year, we’re going to be a pretty good team.”

Senior Lauren Fussell is the only returning starter and the only player coming back with a significant amount of varsity playing time. Fussell put up 38 assists and 44 steals last season.

“Our lack of experience is going to hurt us early on, not only varsity experience but with two freshman and two sophomores, not only have they not played any varsity minutes, but they haven’t been in the system,” Bosch said.

The coach said he had to focus the first month of practice teaching the team's offense and defense to the newer players. 

“I have to make sure everyone knows what’s going on," Fussell said. "They’re really good at paying attention so I think it should be easy to get all the new things into them and run what we need to."

Fussell will depend on fellow senior Erin Allen at a starting guard position as the only other varsity experience.

"I’d like to make a run at districts, finish in the top in our conference, obviously have an over .500 record,” Fussel said. 

Junior Alex Perry and freshman Alyssa Norberg will be in the forward positions and sophomore Taylor Ventimiglia takes the other guard position.

Freshman Sidney Thompson and sophomore Maggie Pike will be quick off the bench.

Senior Hannah Cook also returns. Cook battled illness and injury last year, cutting into her playing time.

The Tigers open their season Monday at 3:45 p.m. against Visitation in the Nerinx Tournament.