After winning last year's AMCC Championship game, the La Roche Women's Basketball team certainly is walking into this season with all eyes on them, and with high expectations. With overwhelming success, and very few losses, we can anticipate another amazing season. Let's take a look at last year's season, lost players, and who to watch out for. Before we get too far into the details of the season, here is what Head Coach Kam Gissendanner had to say about the upcoming season.
"I think we are in for an exciting season! We have a healthy mix of leadership as well as some new energy with our additions to the Redhawk team. We have a ton of athleticism and skill. It will be up to us to put it all together and get the chemistry exactly where we want it to be," said Coach Gissendanner. "The potential is limitless for this group. We cant wait to get started!"
2021-22 Season
The La Roche Women's Basketball team ended their season with only six losses out of their 20 total games played during the 2021-22 season; showing their strength as a team. The team defeated Geneva and Pitt-Bradford by nearly double the points, a feat that we should anticipate seeing again this upcoming season.
Unfortunately, it wasn't all perfect. In January, the Redhawks saw their first losses. They took on Pitt-Greensburg, losing 68-60 and, then took another loss to Penn State-Behrend with a final score of 62-64, only two days later. Tension was undoubtedly high when they played the two teams for a second time. When the team faced off against these two teams again later in the season, a different outcome was seen. This time, the Redhawks beat Greensburg 55-52 and Behrend 78-68 in two nail-biting games.
The highlight of the Redhawks season was unquestionably when they headed into the AMCC Tournament. No one was surprised when the team took down Alfred State 82-57 in the semifinals, considering their two previous wins against the team. After the game, the Redhawks stuck around to see who their championship opponent would be; anticipating Penn State-Behrend. But in what was an extremely close matchup, Greensburg ended up coming out on top, a win that was not predicted by most. The Redhawks, having lost once to Greensburg, went into the AMCC Championship game on their toes; they were not about to underestimate this team. Luckily, due to their teamwork, coaching, and individual skill the Redhawks won 72-59, taking home the title of AMCC Champions. Can they do it again? Will the loss of certain seniors take a toll on the team? Keep reading to find out!
Lost Players
The La Roche Redhawks will be going into this year's season without some critical players. Shaundrea Butler, a key player on the court, graduated last year. Butler had a total of 162 points and 135 assists for the Redhawks in last season alone.She was a play maker and a calming presence on the court. Ayanna Mazyck, also graduated last year. Mazyck had a total of 297 points, averaging 18.7 per forty minutes. Mazyck was also named Co-Player of the Year last year by the AMCC. With the loss of these players we're excited to see how the Redhawks fill the gap.
Players to Watch
With last year's seniors moving on, new senior leadership will be stepping up. This year's seniors are Danajah Sanders, Dasha' Jackson, Janessa Goins, DJ Whittington, and Sophia Yoder. So far Sanders holds a total of 346 points, averaging 18.9 points per forty minutes. This senior class has a few tricks up their sleeve and we're not counting any of them out.
Makayla Abram is back for her second year as a Redhawk. In her freshman year alone, the forward/guard had 311 points, averaging 12 points per game. Abrams also finished the season with a field goal percentage of 49%. Abram was also named the AMCC 2021-22 Newcomer of the Year. It's clear that the now sophomore is a player that should cause opposing teams to sweat.
The Competition
After watching and reviewing the previous season one thing is clear: the Redhawks are a resilient team. This in mind, the team will be entering the season keeping a close eye on Pitt-Greensburg, and Penn State-Behrend. Statistically, Behrend is the bigger threat; their team appears stronger on paper and, oftentimes, on the court. It's important to remember that the Redhawks lost against the team once last season, meaning it's possible that the same could happen this year. However, we cannot deny that Greensburg is also a threat to the Redhawks. Greensburg successfully beat Behrend in the AMCC Tournaments and put up a good fight in the Championship game. Both teams have earned the right to be respected competitors and we're excited to watch them compete this season. Despite the tough season ahead of them, we're excited to see if the team has it in them to go for another back to back championship.