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Sacred Heart's roster not at full strength Initially, Sacred Heart coach Sister Maria Pares feels her basketball team is fundamentally sound and could have a great season. Getting everybody to practice at the same time has been a problem. Injuries and the flu have depleted the Sharks' roster in the preseason. Sister Maria Pares will carry 12 players but she said the team has yet to be 100 percent healthy for a practice. "If you can't practice, you can't learn," said Pares. "As we move along though, I think we'll be fine." Several key players are gone from last year's 23-3 team that finished fifth among Western New York large schools and were Monsignor Martin Association runners-up. Included are guards Katie Keller and Gina Ricotta, both MMA all-stars, as well as forwards Liz Subjeck and Meaghan Daley. But Pares does return 6-foot senior forward Krystal Watson and junior point guard Natalie Coppola. Watson, a returning MMA all-league all-star, reminds Pares of Heather Turner, a Mt. Mercy grad who is excelling at the University at Buffalo. "If practice is anything like how she's going to play this year, she's going to be a force to be reckoned with," said Pares. "She moves good in the paint and gets up and down the floor quickly. I'm pleased with her progress." Coppola, 5-foot-6, does everything a point guard should do and does it well, Pares said. "She's got a good shot, goes to the basket and she sees the floor well," said Pares. Coppola is recovering from a stage two medial collateral ligament strain in her right knee that she suffered at the end of the soccer season. Also healing from a soccer injury is junior Alycia Pontello, who injured her back. Pontello is in the running for a starting forward position. Senior Liz Tramposch is also vying for a starting forward position. Senior guard Sam Arena and junior forward Devon Hornung will start. Pares said Arena has an excellent outside shot and can also drive to the basket. Sophomore forward Haley Pickett, a JV call-up, is expected to come off the bench and contribute. Arena, Tramposch and Watson are team captains. Pares thinks her team, when healthy, can hit from the outside as well as score from the post. "We can move the ball and shoot well," she added. "It's a matter of playing now. If we play great defense, we'll be able to compete." Sacred Heart lost to Mt. Mercy in the MMA title game and fell to Notre Dame Academy in the New York State Catholic High School Athletic Association semifinal. "The returning kids are anxious to get going," said Pares. "They remember the fourth quarter (of the Mt. Mercy game; Sacred Heart was outscored 26-14 in the second half)." Sacred Heart opened its season in the Great Lakes Classic last weekend at Midpark High School in Middleburg Heights, Ohio. It's the first time a Sacred Heart girls basketball team has left New York State to compete. The Sharks lost to Strongsville, 66-41, on Saturday, and to Shaker Heights, 54-29, on Sunday. Strongsville and Shaker Heights are ranked in the top 10 in Ohio (Shaker Heights, third; Strongsville, sixth) in a preseason poll by the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "They were two extremely good teams," said Pares. "Shaker Heights was probably the best team we have faced in probably four or five years. They had four players at least 6-foot-1. They were well-coached, rebounded well and shot great." Pickett led the Sharks' offense in both games. She was the only Sacred Heart player in double figures in either game with 14 points versus Strongsville, and added a team-high eight points against Shaker Heights. Watson added eight points against Strongsville. Karen Reddy scored 15 points to lead Strongsville. Karisma Penn scored 19 to pace Shaker Heights.
Sacred Heart 2007 Schedule 11-28 Sweet Home Tip-off Tourn. Iroquois .............................. 6 p.m. 11-30 Sweet Home Tip-off Tourn. Grand Island or Sweet Home, 6 p.m. |
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