Defending Pacific League Champions, the Burroughs Girls’ Basketball Squad Now 1-3 out of the gate
Head Coach Vicky Oganyan knows her team is reloading after graduating so many key components to last season’s Pacific League Champion squad. So far she has mixed feelings about the start to the 2011-2012 year, her most experienced player injured and her team losers of three straight games.
“1-3 is rough, but I cannot fault our effort,” Oganyan says. ” We have played hard in all of our games but our lack of experience has shown up at the wrong time.”
With two freshmen starting and seven sophomores on the roster, clearly a youth movement is taking place within the program.
Junior Aysia Shellmire had 19 points and 7 rebounds, three blocks to lead the Tribe to a win in their opener, 63-43, over Hart on November 29. Unfortunately, the Indians lone player with varsity experience continues to be plagued by a back injury and hasn’t been able to play since.
Oganyan said Shellmire is game-to-game at this point, with an emphasis on making sure that she is ready for league play next month.
Senior April Harris added nine points and five rebounds in the win against Hart. Sidney Ortega and Bailee Trotta had eight points and five rebounds. Gabriella Pineiro had seven points, four rebounds, and three assists. Jessie Adams also had six points.
In a 55-34 loss to Camarillo on November 30 the two freshmen led the way — Davina Del Castillo had eight points, nine rebounds, and seven steals while fellow freshman Delaney Nicol added eight points.
Bailee Trotta added five points while Sidney Ortega had five points and six rebounds in the loss.
Facing Saugus on December 2, Harris had 12 points, nine rebounds, and 4 steals. Nicol had seven points and four rebounds and Pineiro had seven points. Del Castillo had two points, 17 rebounds, and three steals. Against Kennedy the next day, Ortega had 10 points and Pineiro seven points and 10 rebounds. Jakarra Waddell had seven rebounds and four blocks. Harris had four steals, four rebounds, five points, and she took three offensive fouls while on defense.
“The silver lining stuff is what we are trying to focus on right now, not the record,” Oganyan said. “Taking charges was not something we did in summer league so having one player take three in a game is an example of what we are focusing our attention on right now. We continue to do these things and the wins will come.”
With two tournaments upcoming featuring opportunities to play at home, and with a quirk in the Pacific League schedule that has the first six games at home, Burroughs will play 15 consecutive contests at Burroughs, so the holiday break and the early part of January is a chance for the young squad to improve.
