Lady Bruins aim for No. 8

In search of an eighth consecutive county championship, Baldwin girls’ basketball takes the court with heavy hearts following the death of longtime varsity assistant coach Anthony Bolden during the offseason. Bolden will be honored in many ways, head coach Tom Catapano said, including leaving the first chair on the bench vacant in his memory.

The Lady Bruins won all six games they played last season and will try to maintain dominance in Nassau Class AA with a young roster led by juniors Dallyssha Moreno and Katelyn Simpson.

“Last season was tough on the seniors because we had no playoffs and as juniors they had the Long Island championship cancelled by Covid a day before the game,” Catapano said. “We were grateful to play at all last winter and just tried to enjoy each other’s company during the month we had together.”

Moreno, a forward who can also do damage from the outside, made an impact during the 2019-20 county title run and is a two-time All-County selection. “She has all the tools and is already getting a bunch of D-1 looks,” Catapano said. “We’re demanding a lot of her and she should have a monster season.”

Simpson, who like Moreno enters her fourth varsity campaign, is a first-year starter but brings strong two-way skills, Catapano said. “Katelyn is a great passer who can also score and will get the toughest defensive assignment,” he said.

Sophomore Renelle Grannum and freshman Payton Dulin will also start in the backcourt. Grannum can burn defenses with her perimeter shooting, while Dulin is a combo guard with a “tremendous amount of upside,” Catapano said. Senior guard Jada Gayle brings a large dose of energy.

Senior Paris Nosworthy is a returning starting forward who likes to drive to the basket and draw fouls. She’s also an in-your-face defender. Senior Sydney Karl-Otto is another key piece to the frontcourt.