Last season, an inexperienced Patchogue-Medford girls basketball team took its lumps, and learned some valuable lessons en route to a sub-.500 record. However this year, they return four starters and have their sights set on a Division I playoff berth.
They've already been given their first bit of adversity for the 2010-11 campaign. Junior point guard Aileen Yaeger will be sidelined for the first month of the season due to a hairline fracture to her ankle, but expects to be back on the court for the Lady Raiders by the start of their league games.
The good news? Sophomore phenom Rebecca Gordon is back and in top form after working on her game extensively in the offseason.
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Expect the supporting cast to undergo a baptism by fire early on, but once Yaeger returns, head coach Jeff Hansen has the Lady Raiders poised to be a team that will surprise many and could rebound nicely after a down year.
In their , the girls produced a 32-32 tie with Sachem North that ultimately ended in a loss, 42-38.
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Record last year: 1-11
Head coach: Jeff Hansen
Top players:
- Aileen Yaeger, junior PG
- Rebecca Gordon, sophomore C
Position breakdown:
Guards: Yaeger will lead the way here when she returns from injury. The third year starter projects to be back in the lineup by the time the team opens their league schedule. They'll need her, as they open up against defending state champion Sachem East.
Until then, it's anybody's guess who will step up and fill that void for the Lady Raiders. But Hansen sees Yaeger's absence as a positive thing for the team. "That month that everyone else has to handle the ball makes them more comfortable and we can find that second ball handler. It'll help develop the team."
Forwards: Returning to the team are a couple of junior forwards, Emily Minicozzi and Kierstin Berwick. If the Lady Raiders are to have any success this year, the play of their forwards will be key, especially on the boards. "We're going try to have our forwards use their size, strength and rebounding to control the boards," said Hansen.
Center: All six-feet, three-inches of center Rebecca Gordon is what makes this team go offensively. She earned all-League honors as a freshman and was a point shy of being the team's leading scorer. "She really stepped up and played a lot in AAU and got some exposure," said Hansen. "She's really starting to develop, so obviously with her size, skill and ability, she'll be our main offensive focus."
Key losses: The graduation of Jenna Crothers may hurt this team in the paint. Crothers, who was a four-year starter was third in the team in scoring last year. "We're going to miss her leadership and her second ball handling," said Hansen. "Aileen does a great job but we're going to need to find out who's going to be our second ball handler this year."
Expectations: Hansen certainly doesn't expect to go 1-11 again this season, but in a tough division, the Lady Raiders will have to fight for a playoff spot. Although he believes this young team can challenge for one as long as they continue to grow.
"We're looking to take steps forward," he said. "The ultimate goal is to get those seven wins to get into the playoffs. That's our fight. You can't just find seven wins in League I, you've got to go out and earn it.
Key games: If you're an aspiring playoff team, every game is key. Patchogue-Medford will have to find a way to get to seven league wins, but here are a few games to note on their schedule:
Dec. 21: First league game against Sachem East. The Lady Raiders host the undefeated defending state champions in their quest for seven wins. While this one may not be pretty, they can expect Aileen Yaeger's services back on the court just in time for this one.
Jan. 18: The Lady Raiders will host Longwood, the only team they defeated last season. While both teams will be looking to improve, this is a must-win game for Patchogue-Medford if they're serious about getting to the playoffs.
Feb. 2: At Longwood. With just two games left in the regular season, this could be the most pivotal, albeit winnable, game of the season.
News & Notes: Last year, four of the top eight seeds in Class AA were League I teams. Sachem East (18-0) went on to the state championships. ...Rebecca Gordon finished in double figures in five of the 12 games last year as a freshman.
