Girls Basketball Kicks Off Season Tomorrow, Sets Sights on State Title Repeat

The Lady Pioneers gear up for the start of what is believed to be their most challenging basketball season under the direction of sixth-year Head Coach Cap Pazdera.

The Lady Pioneers are coming off a season filled with great success. New Providence's 22-6 record captured the team its second state sectional title in three years and its first group title after claiming the Union County Conference Valley Division. The Lady Pioneers will tip off at home against Elizabeth on Friday at 7 p.m.

"[This is] going to be my most challenging season to date. We moved up in the conference to the Middle Division and will be playing bigger schools, and each game we will see great competition," Pazdera said.

Adding to Pazdera's challenges this year is the loss of three key players from a year ago: starters Nan Tucker and Connie Haggerty, and reserve Alexa Lesnewich.

Tucker and Haggerty were vital to the Pioneers' success the past few years. Tucker averaged seven points per game and four rebounds while Haggerty averaged five points per game and two steals. Lesnewich contributed an invaluable four and a half points per game off the bench.  

Last season, Tucker was named to the All-Valley Division team, All-Group I 2nd team and All-Union County 3rd team, while Haggerty was named to the All-Valley Division team.

Despite tough losses from last year's championship team, the 2008 Star-Ledger Coach of the Year is confident in this year's team and feels his players learned valuable lessons from last year's run.

"We gained some experience playing some great teams. We also learned that we can do anything playing together as a team as opposed to five individual players," he said.

This year's team returns four key players who sparked the Lady Pioneers last season. Captains Laura Gregory, 5'11" senior forward, and Kaitlyn Cresencia, 5'9" senior guard/forward, are expected to lead the offense.

Cresencia, named MVP of last year's group finals who has committed to playing for Connecticut College next year, is coming off a season where she led the team with averages of eight points per game, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Gregory was a close second, averaging seven points per game, four rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block.

Cresencia, who dominated the inside last year, spent a lot of time this off season improving her outside shooting and range while Gregory spent her off season improving her defense to help the defending state champions bring another title to the school.

With Gregory and Cresencia expected to be on the radar of opposing coaches, 5'9" sophomore guard Cassandra Squeri might steal the spotlight and prove to be New Providence's next rising star. As a freshman a year ago, Squeri demonstrated she can be a lethal force. Off the bench, she averaged five points per game. This year she is expected to see a lot more time on the hardwood, which may turn lethal for the opposition.

"Cassandra Squeri was a key player off the bench for us last year and is going to be transitioning into a starter/scorer for us this season," Pazdera said.

To round out this season, another player to watch is 5'11" junior forward Emma Culleton, most known as the team's defensive leader, who averaged six rebounds per game, two steals, two assists, and two blocks a year ago. But she is expected to step up her offensive game this season and help fill the void left by last year's graduation class.

Like previous years, Pazdera expects his team to rely on "defense and creating opportunities off of our pressure" to win ball games. The athleticism, speed, and height of the Lady Pioneers gives the team a great balanced attack on both offense and defense.

New Providence's offense can be unpredictable at times because of its threat to nail a three from the outside or pound the post inside.

"I think a strength of our team is that we can play different styles if needed,"  Pazdera said.