2022-23 SouthCoast high school girls basketball season preview
Outside of a few veteran teams like Bishop Stang, New Bedford and Old Colony, there’s a youth movement sweeping the SouthCoast when it comes to girls basketball.
Look for several young players to have starring roles this winter.
Here’s a glimpse at SouthCoast’s nine teams entering the 2022-23 season:
APPONEQUET
Head coach: Trevor Gagnier
Last year’s record: 5-15
Top returners: Addie Taylor, So., PG; Cynthia Morales, So., F; Ava Dixon, Jr., G; Ashlynn McDonnell, So., F.
Key newcomers: Cecelia Levrault, Fr., G; Hannah Kuriscak, Fr., G.
Outlook: With the graduation of four seniors, the Lakers will be young this year, but they have a ton of potential with the return of Taylor and Morales. The sophomore duo are back after impressive campaigns a year ago as freshmen starters. “I think our guard play has to be our strength,” said Gagnier. “We’re pretty quick and we're going to have to rely on good basketball IQ. We were inconsistent last year on both sides of the ball. Hopefully we can improve in those two areas.” The return of Dixon along with the addition of Levrault and Kuriscak give Apponequet depth at the guard positions. Gagnier expects both Levrault and Kuriscak to contribute right away. “We’re excited about the youth,” he said. “We’re young, but expect to compete. I think we’ll have an opportunity to compete with everybody else in the league. We’re going to be hungry to get back to hopefully playing at a high level. That’s definitely the goal.” Look for McDonnell, a sophomore, to handle things in the post along with Morales.
BISHOP STANG
Head coach: Julie Letourneau
Last year’s record: 11-11
Top returners: Bridget Markey, Sr., G; Kate Carreau, Sr., G; Sophie Caldwell, Sr., G/F; Eleanor Senna, Sr., F.
Key newcomers: Charlotte Sisson, Sr., F; Molly Sisson, So., G/F/C.
Outlook: The expectations are high at Bishop Stang this winter and for good reason. The Spartans not only feature a strong core of returning players in Markey, Carreau, Caldwell and Senna, they welcome the addition of the Sisson sisters, who are transfers from Old Rochester. “I know we’ll be very competitive,” said Letourneau, whose team reached the Div. 3 Sweet 16 last season. “Having Molly and Charlotte (Sisson) come in really transformed our team. They add more size. We’ve never really had true post players and they add another dimension to our team.” The Spartans have been building to this season since Letourneau took over four years ago. “This group is special to me as they were freshmen when I started,” Letourneau said. “We have experience. It’s a very senior-laden team. The second part of it is I have more depth on my team than in all four years. I think we have great potential in doing well. We play in one of the most competitive conferences in the state. It’s so competitive.”
NEW COACHBrian Jalbert takes over for Scott Richards as Dartmouth High girls basketball head coach
DARTMOUTH
Head coach: Brian Jalbert
Last year’s record: 13-9
Top returners: Kat Cheesebro, So., G/F; Remy Barber, So., G; Abbie Zuber, Sr., F; Alex Cojocaru, Sr., F.
Key newcomers: Lily Gangi, Fr., G; Valerie Carreira, Fr., F; Kaelyn Zuber, Fr., G; Hailey Martins, Jr., F.
Outlook: Dartmouth returns one of the area’s top leading scorers from a year ago with Cheesebro, who averaged 16 points per game as a freshman, earning a spot on the Standard-Times Super Team. But with the graduation of Casey Oliver, Dartmouth must find others to step up offensively to complement Cheesebro. “We have to replace some scoring,” said Jalbert, a first-year head coach. “Replacing a point guard and replacing Oliver’s scoring is key for us. We only graduated two, but another five decided not to play. We’re a good perimeter team and we do well attacking the hoop. Hopefully we can find our rhythm as the season goes on.” Dartmouth has some young talent with Barber, a sophomore, and a trio of freshmen in Gangi, Carreira and Kaelyn Zuber while Abbie Zuber, Cojocaru and Martins will provide leadership as upperclassmen. “Making the tournament is our main goal,” Jalbert said. “We’d like to get a home game in the first round. Those are the goals. Bridgewater-Raynham has been dominating the conference for quite a few years now. The goal is to catch them at some point.”
COACHING CHANGEFamiliar face takes over Fairhaven High girls basketball program
FAIRHAVEN
Head coach: Erin Costa
Last year’s record: 8-10
Top returners: Maya Medeiros, Sr., G; Tenley Dakin, Sr., G; Abby Thomas, Sr., G/F.
Key newcomers: Melany Hernandez, Sr., G; Ava Morrison, So., G; Kyra Joseph, Fr., G/F; Brenna Dugan, Fr., G.
Outlook: Even though the Blue Devils lack numbers, they have a solid core of returning players with experience in Medeiros, Dakin and Thomas. Hernandez, a senior, took last year off after playing JV as a sophomore. “We’re young but have strong leadership,” said Costa, noting that the team is going to rely on some underclassmen in Morrison, a sophomore, and Joseph and Dugan, a pair of freshmen. “We’re young. It’s crazy to be talking about freshmen on varsity, but I’m excited. Right off the bat, the team chemistry has been really positive. Practices are not quiet. They’re cheering each other on.” Costa, a first-year head coach who played at Fairhaven in the 2000s, said the Blue Devils will focus a lot on defense. “I think they’re going to be quick,” she said. “We have five girls off the bat that are going to be quick to the basket. I’m going to harp on defense this year and the girls are starting to buy into that.”
GNB VOC-TECH
Head coach: Mike Prior
Last year’s record: 1-18
Top returner: Laila Pires, So., G/F.
Key newcomers: Kaira Dubois, Fr., G; Ella Costa, So., F; Casalice Dias, Jr., G; Dania Alvarado, Jr., F; Danira DaVeiga, Jr., C; Drea Perry, So., G; Kaylee Woodacre, Sr., F; Maria Sanchez, Jr., F; Angelie Goncalves, Jr., G.
Outlook: The Bears are starting fresh after winning just one game a year ago with the return of just one player — Pires, a talented sophomore who can play both the guard and forward positions. “We graduated eight and had three that didn’t come back out,” said Prior. “Obviously we’re very young at this point. The first four days have been pretty good. It’s all new faces so they’re trying to mesh with each other. We have some young talent.” Prior is expecting contributions right away from Dubois, a freshman guard. “Kaira is a good player,” he said. “She can boost us offensively and kickstart us.” The key for Voc-Tech will be playing an up-tempo game. “We’re looking to run,” Prior said. “We’re small. We don’t have a true center. We have to play fast and be all over the court. I think we have some offensive output. Defensively, everyone has to box out and make it a team thing.”
NEW BEDFORD
Head coach: Jordan Pina
Last year’s record: 8-12
Top returners: Vanessa Bucha, Sr., G; Lexi Thompson, Sr., G; Tatum Reis, Sr., G; Zaria Anderson, So., F; Hannah Pereira, Sr. F; Hayleigh Chenard, Jr., G/F; Ava Kaplan, So., G; Alexis Rebello, Jr., G.
Key newcomers: N/A
Outlook: The last time the Whalers made the playoffs, this year’s seniors were freshmen. “The goal is to try to make the tournament this year,” said Pina. “Last year we lost some close ones and all offseason they put the work in. Hopefully it pays off come February.” New Bedford is led by a trio of senior guards in Bucha, Thompson and Reis. “On paper, we have three of the best guards in the area,” Pina said. “It’s the same story; we’re very guard heavy. We don’t have much height, but it works to our advantage because we pride ourselves on making stops and getting out fast.” Anderson, a sophomore forward, will control the post along with Pereira and Chenard. Kaplan and Rebello provide depth at the guard position.
OLD COLONY
Head coach: Craig Lincoln
Last year’s record: 16-7
Top returners: Hailey Hathaway, Sr., G; Olivia Perry, Sr., PG; Teagan Stuart, Sr., F; Allison Bumpus, Sr., F/C; Morgan Berry, Sr., F/C; Isabel Hougasian, Jr., G/F; Hailey Goldstein, Jr., G; Lindsey Bacchiocchi, Jr., G.
Key newcomers: Kaleigh Desouza, So., F; Lilah White, Fr., G/F.
Outlook: The Cougars return four of their five starters from last year’s team that won the Mayflower Athletic Conference Small championship, but must find a way to fill the void left by senior center Brooke Jason being out with an injury. “The goal is to continue where we left off, but it’s going to be hard without Brooke out there,” Lincoln said. “There’s a lot of potential, but this is a brand new season. The girls have to understand that and continue to be coachable and be good teammates every day. They’re working on helping each other.” Hathaway, a two-time MAC All-Star who averaged nearly 13 points a year ago, will lead the way offensively along with Hougasian. A senior-laden Cougars team will also rely on Perry, Stuart, Bumpus and Berry. “Our biggest thing is our experience,” Lincoln said. “We have a lot of court experience.” During their home opener at 5 p.m. on Dec. 14, the Cougars will hold a “Rally for Rylie” night, to raise money for Rochester’s Rylie Grace, who was diagnosed with NTM lymphadenopathy (non tuberculosis mycobacterium) in July. NTM lymphadenitis is a rare disease and Grace has a severe case where it has attacked all her lymph nodes bilaterally.
OLD ROCHESTER
Head coach: Rick Regan
Last year’s record: 19-2
Top returners: Amber Engel, Jr., G; Caroline Brogioli, So., G; Emerson Gonet, So., G/F.
Key newcomers: Kelly Quinlan, Jr., F; Tessa Winslow, So., G/F; Emma Johnson, Fr., F; Carly Mello, Fr., G/F; Hannah Thorell, Fr., F; Sara Costa, Jr., F; Zoe Plante, So., G/F.
Outlook: After winning the South Coast Conference title and reaching the Div. 3 Sweet 16 last year, the Bulldogs will have a new look this winter with the return of just three varsity players. “We’re in reload mode,” said Regan. “Between seniors and transfers, we lost nine possible players.” ORR’s most experienced players are Engel, a junior guard, and a pair of sophomores in Brogioli and Gonet. “We’re looking for the right combinations right now and we feel they all can contribute,” Regan said. “Those three have experience and everyone else is basically new going through it. I think we have a really good mix moving forward. They’ve really worked hard. They buy in. They want to get better. They see they’re going to be with each other for a couple of years because we have no seniors.” A trio of freshmen — Johnson, Mello and Thorell — have impressed Regan, who is also expecting contributions from Quinlan, Winslow, Costa and Plante. “We’ll probably go through some peaks and valleys this year because we’re new,” he said. “We’ve got to stick with each other during those valleys. Their attitude is terrific. It’s a good environment.”
More:New Wareham High girls basketball coach looking to increase participation
WAREHAM
Head coach: Justin Ogilvie
Last year’s record: 4-10
Top returners: Keira Pierre, Jr., G; Carly Glover, Jr., G; Riana Phillips, Jr., C; Zora Andrews, So., G; Masaydes Perry, Fr., F.
Key newcomer: Johnny Thompkins, Fr., G.
Outlook: The Vikings are looking to build on last year’s improvement with the return of a solid core of players that includes a trio of juniors in Pierre, Glover and Phillips, a sophomore in Andrews and a freshman in Perry. “We’re going to win some games and we’re going to lose some games,” said Ogilive, a first-year coach. “We’ve got to take away something from every game, enjoying the process and accepting the result either way.” Wareham welcomes Thompkins, who played as an eighth grader at Rising Tide Charter School in Plymouth. “She played on her previous school’s team and started for them,” Ogilvie said. “She had a really strong eighth grade season.”
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Guide to 2022-23 season for SouthCoast high school girls basketball
