Pittston Area brings experience and team speed into the girls basketball season as it tries to bounce back from slipping below .500 a year ago.
The Lady Patriots return six seniors, including the top five scorers from last season.
“They have good chemistry because they’ve been together since sixth grade,” Lady Patriots coach Kathy Healey said. “I’m looking forward to this season.”
Guard/forwards Lily Savoy and Emma Coles, center Hannah Getz and guards Nicole Zambetti and Jada Sharp all have starting experience. Sam Christian, another guard/forward, is the other senior who returns.
“I think we’re going to be quick,” Healey said.
The coach points to a goal time the team has to complete “suicide” sprints and all 17 players on the combined varsity/JV team coming in before the designated time.
“I’ve never really had a team where every single girl on the team makes the goal,” she said.
The Lady Patriots will try to make the most of that speed.
Junior guards Kendall Tigue and Bernadette Lieback also have some experience and should see more varsity time.
There are four newcomers who could also work their way into the mix.
Amanda Fath is a 6-foot sophomore center, who played on the freshman team last season.
Freshmen Kallie Booth, Taylor Baiera and Ava Callahan are the other newcomers.
The creation of the Wilkes-Barre Area Wolfpack out of Coughlin, GAR and Meyers led the Wyoming Valley Conference to switch from three divisions to two.
Pittston Area remains in Division 1 where Wilkes-Barre Area replaces Coughlin. Berwick and Nanticoke move up from Division 2.
The Lady Patriots play every divisional opponent, including Hazleton Area, Wyoming Valley West, Crestwood and Dallas, twice each.
“Division 1 is always a dogfight and, with Nanticoke and Berwick moving up, it will be better,” Healey said.
The Lady Patriots were 6-10 to finish fourth of the six WVC Division 1 teams last season and finished 9-14 overall with a first-round exit from the District 2 Class 5A playoffs.
Pittston Area opens the non-league schedule Dec. 9 at home against Hanover Area. It begins conference play Jan. 2 at Dallas.
