By:STEVE SINISKI
"Even though we had some slow starts [in games] we did have strong second halves," Brent said. "The girls played hard end to end for 32 minutes [every game]. We went through a lot of tough times but at the end, the team was still together. This team never quit and that was evident throughout the year.."
The team carried just three seniors --Danielle LaRoche -- Gabby Baptiste and Kate Edelman_all honored prior to a 38-26 loss to Oceanside on February 10, and for good reason. The trio provided as much support off the court as any coach could ask for. Considering how young the rest of the unit was, their leadership was the perfect example for the team to follow.
"They'd talk to the ninth and tenth-graders and [act as someone] to confide in," Brent said. Their maturity helped a lot."
The flip side to the youth movement in Brent's first season won't play itself out until next year, because the large number of players who began to develop into solid contributors will have an offseason to take another step forward.
"Over the summer is where you find your strengths and your weaknesses," Brent said. "It's where you become better and jell with your teammates."
Among the key players expected to return are leading scorer Adrianna DeVito, who averaged 13.5 points per game and drained at least one three-pointer in all but one game, Nicole Eatz and Melissa Borzoni.
"She was our sharpshooter but you can't be one-dimensional [as a team]," Brent said of DeVito who also canned at least two threes in nine games.
"Teams know she's our [top] player so even though she had some great games [they were able to] thwart her [at other times]."
Eatz worked almost exclusively as a point guard prior to Brent's arrival, but her quickness on the floor and willingness to learn allowed for some court time at several other positions. Borzoni displayed the normal freshman jitters in December only to become one of Baldwin's more aggressive players at the end of the season.
"She was a little timid but as the season [progressed] she was willing to take the big shot or create one," Brent said.
