Post by HC13 on Nov 4, 2022 20:13:55 GMT -5
www.telegram.com/story/sports/college/2022/11/04/winning-foundation-is-set-for-holy-cross-womens-basketball/69608924007/
HC women's basketball enthusiastic, motivated, ready to build on last year’s success
Jennifer Toland
Telegram & Gazette
WORCESTER — The Holy Cross women’s basketball team did more than just capture the Patriot League regular-season title last year.
“We set the foundation for what we expect,” third-year HC coach Maureen Magarity said before Tuesday morning’s practice at the Hart Center. “We’re here to win games.”
The 2021-22 Crusaders registered 20 victories, including a rousing 59-48 win over Boston University that clinched Holy Cross its first PL championship in 17 years. HC, seeking its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2007, rode momentum and a four-game winning streak into the Patriot League tourney, but Navy broke the Crusaders’ hearts with a dramatic win at the buzzer in the first round.
“I’ve watched that game countless times,” Holy Cross junior guard Bronagh Power-Cassidy said, “looking at the entire game, the small things and the mistakes we’re not going to make again. Everyone is excited to get back to that point, but we know how hard it’s going to be.”
Holy Cross graduated the great Avery LaBarbera, the 2021-22 PL Player of the Year who led her team in minutes, points and rebounds, as well as frontcourt mates Oluchi Ezemma and Madison Demski, who both played in every game last season.
It won’t be easy to replace their production or leadership, but the Crusaders enter the 2022-23 season enthusiastic, motivated and ready to build on last year’s success.
“We reached one goal,” junior forward Janelle Allen said. “Now we have to reach the other. We know we can do it; it’s just a matter of us taking it one game at a time to achieve it.”
Holy Cross opens the season Monday at Merrimack.
HC added five players, four freshman and sophomore forward Callie Wright, a transfer from Memphis.
“We’ve been training together since June,” said guard Addisyn Cross, HC’s only senior and defensive catalyst, “and you can’t tell who’s new and who’s not. We’re really meshing together well. We have a lot of new faces, and everyone is stepping up in their own way.”
Last season, Cross ranked second behind LaBarbera in minutes per game and had multiple steals in 14 games. She earned Patriot League All-Defensive Team honors and helped Holy Cross rank second in the league in scoring defense (56.5 ppg).
“Defense is how we’re going to win games again this year,” Cross said. “Pressure guards and make people get out of their comfort zones. Hopefully, we can capitalize on defensive stops and turn them into offensive gains.”
LaBarbera (16.4 ppg) was the only Holy Cross player to average in double figures last year. Power-Cassidy (8.9) was second in scoring and Allen third (8.2).
“Offensively,” Magarity, the 2021-22 PL Coach of the Year, said, “we’ll look to get it inside a little bit more and work through Janelle. Last year, Avery had the ball in her hand 90% of the time. This year, at the end of the game, who will take over?”
Magarity said Power-Cassidy likely will play more inside-out like she did her freshman season. HC will be without junior guard Cara McCormack, who averaged 7.8 points last year, until possibly the start of league season in January. McCormack has a broken bone in her wrist.
“Scoring on the perimeter and rebounding are both questions,” Magarity said. “There will be a lot of new faces. That graduating class was incredible, and we have to figure out how to replace their statistics and minutes. I’m so excited going into the season because I think the new players and returning players meshed really well. It’s been great to see how quickly the newcomers have adapted. The junior class has taken a huge step as leaders, and Addy is offensively coming into her own. It’s a fun thing to see. We’re new, and we’re young, but we have experience with Addy and the junior class, so it should be a solid year.”
Last season, the Crusaders played in the WNIT for the second time in program history and fell at Columbia, 80-69.
“Playing in the WNIT was an amazing experience,” said Magarity, who signed a three-year extension with the Crusaders on Thursday, “but (the Navy game) left a sour taste in our mouths. It’s definitely motivation going into this season.”
LaBarbera’s free throws snapped a 47-47 tie with 1.6 seconds left, and the Crusaders were a defensive stop away from moving on to the tourney semifinals, but No. 8 seed Navy’s Jennifer Coleman sank a miraculous 3-pointer as time expired“ As a coach,” Magarity said, “you might see a shot like that once or twice in your career. You have to move on, and we try not to talk about it too much. Looking back, our two games against Navy in the regular season were tight games (10-point and 6-point HC wins), and that was the league last year, and what made winning the regular season even more remarkable because I honestly felt the league was so tough top to bottom.”
HC women's basketball enthusiastic, motivated, ready to build on last year’s success
Jennifer Toland
Telegram & Gazette
WORCESTER — The Holy Cross women’s basketball team did more than just capture the Patriot League regular-season title last year.
“We set the foundation for what we expect,” third-year HC coach Maureen Magarity said before Tuesday morning’s practice at the Hart Center. “We’re here to win games.”
The 2021-22 Crusaders registered 20 victories, including a rousing 59-48 win over Boston University that clinched Holy Cross its first PL championship in 17 years. HC, seeking its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2007, rode momentum and a four-game winning streak into the Patriot League tourney, but Navy broke the Crusaders’ hearts with a dramatic win at the buzzer in the first round.
“I’ve watched that game countless times,” Holy Cross junior guard Bronagh Power-Cassidy said, “looking at the entire game, the small things and the mistakes we’re not going to make again. Everyone is excited to get back to that point, but we know how hard it’s going to be.”
Holy Cross graduated the great Avery LaBarbera, the 2021-22 PL Player of the Year who led her team in minutes, points and rebounds, as well as frontcourt mates Oluchi Ezemma and Madison Demski, who both played in every game last season.
It won’t be easy to replace their production or leadership, but the Crusaders enter the 2022-23 season enthusiastic, motivated and ready to build on last year’s success.
“We reached one goal,” junior forward Janelle Allen said. “Now we have to reach the other. We know we can do it; it’s just a matter of us taking it one game at a time to achieve it.”
Holy Cross opens the season Monday at Merrimack.
HC added five players, four freshman and sophomore forward Callie Wright, a transfer from Memphis.
“We’ve been training together since June,” said guard Addisyn Cross, HC’s only senior and defensive catalyst, “and you can’t tell who’s new and who’s not. We’re really meshing together well. We have a lot of new faces, and everyone is stepping up in their own way.”
Last season, Cross ranked second behind LaBarbera in minutes per game and had multiple steals in 14 games. She earned Patriot League All-Defensive Team honors and helped Holy Cross rank second in the league in scoring defense (56.5 ppg).
“Defense is how we’re going to win games again this year,” Cross said. “Pressure guards and make people get out of their comfort zones. Hopefully, we can capitalize on defensive stops and turn them into offensive gains.”
LaBarbera (16.4 ppg) was the only Holy Cross player to average in double figures last year. Power-Cassidy (8.9) was second in scoring and Allen third (8.2).
“Offensively,” Magarity, the 2021-22 PL Coach of the Year, said, “we’ll look to get it inside a little bit more and work through Janelle. Last year, Avery had the ball in her hand 90% of the time. This year, at the end of the game, who will take over?”
Magarity said Power-Cassidy likely will play more inside-out like she did her freshman season. HC will be without junior guard Cara McCormack, who averaged 7.8 points last year, until possibly the start of league season in January. McCormack has a broken bone in her wrist.
“Scoring on the perimeter and rebounding are both questions,” Magarity said. “There will be a lot of new faces. That graduating class was incredible, and we have to figure out how to replace their statistics and minutes. I’m so excited going into the season because I think the new players and returning players meshed really well. It’s been great to see how quickly the newcomers have adapted. The junior class has taken a huge step as leaders, and Addy is offensively coming into her own. It’s a fun thing to see. We’re new, and we’re young, but we have experience with Addy and the junior class, so it should be a solid year.”
Last season, the Crusaders played in the WNIT for the second time in program history and fell at Columbia, 80-69.
“Playing in the WNIT was an amazing experience,” said Magarity, who signed a three-year extension with the Crusaders on Thursday, “but (the Navy game) left a sour taste in our mouths. It’s definitely motivation going into this season.”
LaBarbera’s free throws snapped a 47-47 tie with 1.6 seconds left, and the Crusaders were a defensive stop away from moving on to the tourney semifinals, but No. 8 seed Navy’s Jennifer Coleman sank a miraculous 3-pointer as time expired“ As a coach,” Magarity said, “you might see a shot like that once or twice in your career. You have to move on, and we try not to talk about it too much. Looking back, our two games against Navy in the regular season were tight games (10-point and 6-point HC wins), and that was the league last year, and what made winning the regular season even more remarkable because I honestly felt the league was so tough top to bottom.”