Scholastic girls rounding into form
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- July
- 13
I just got off the phone with Hudson Valley coach Dan Ricci, who seemed very impressed with the progress made by his squad so far this summer. There’s now less than two weeks left until the ESG’s open, so here’s what you need to know about the scholastic team:
 The lineup remains the same: Alaina Walker at PG, Caitlynn Moran at SG, Porsha Postell at SF, Brittany Shields at PF, and Emily Stallings at C
 HOWEVER, a big push has been made by the 6-foot-3 shot-blocking force Sophia Aleksandravicius to break into the lineup. Ricci said: “If she’s not a starter, then she’s considered like a starter because she’ll play just as much.” I hate to say it but…well…”I told you this a long time ago.”:http://sixthman.lohudblogs.com/2007/02/03/the-next-to-last-saturday-links/
 Good news about Shields, whose has recovered from the ankle injury that led to her Kirk Gibson-like moment against Dobbs Ferry in the Class C playoffs. Shields took a couple weeks off early this summer and Ricci said it served her well. She’s back moving around the way she had in the past.
 The team has two practices left (today and the day before the opening ceremonies) and one scrimmage (Monday vs. the Open team); most of the players were at the big AAU tournament at Penn State last week playing for their various AAU teams and they have another tournament coming up next weekend in Maryland
 Hudson Valley’s chief competition will yet again come from Western; the bad news for the HV is that perhaps the state’s best returning player, Rush-Henrietta’s Shenise Johnson, has joined Western this year after not playing last summer…Hudson Valley will have to take her out of her game to beat Western…
 Which leads us to the final point: Ricci said the team will play a run ‘n gun style because it’s strength lies in the backcourt; even Shields, the 4, is a superior ball handler (she played PG on the HV last summer), so basically the whole team can press and run downcourt for easy baskets…this is probably the only shot they have of beating Western, to hope they can wear Johnson down or force her into foul trouble
This entry was posted
on Friday, July 13th, 2007 at 11:51 am by Josh Thomson. 
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Josh Thomson has done some of everything since joining The Journal News in March 2003. He began working for the Gannett weeklies during the winter of 2002 as a freelance writer. He joined the daily staff soon after and has since covered various high school and pro sports. Away from sportswriting, Josh lives in Westchester and spends his free time either with his fiancee, Sarah, or expertly managing his various championship-winning fantasy sports teams. He's visited 21 major-league baseball stadiums and insists that Fenway Park and Wrigley Field are the best by far. Josh graduated from Carmel High School in 1998, then went to Boston University, where, in 2002, he received a degree in communications with a minor in history.
How can they possibly have a chance when they play no defense? For shame Coach Ricceilly! Who’s the good looking Mexican guy sitting on the bench?
that would be tony santos…hes fiine
He’s almost as hot as the Haldane coach!
I heard that Tony Santos was the new head coach at Haldane. Can anyone confirm this?
I actually heard he is taking over at Ossining because Coach Ricci doesn’t know squat about playing defense! Ricci will be coaching in the Iron League where his career started some 20 years ago. His PG will be Toe Blake and his C will be Oggy Oglethorpe. Stay tuned…
No, I heard the real story today. You are right Scoop, Santos is taking over for Ricci and Ricci is going to Haldane. Neither team plays defense so it’s a good fit. I don’t know how true it all is but the same source said that the guy from Haldane will be helping out at Scarsdale as the JV coach and as the #1 varsity assistant. How many guys do they need on the bench there at Scarsdale?
Breaking News:
1. Luke Vaccaro is out at Scarsdale and someone named “Gags” is the new head coach with Tommy Meehan taking over the JV.
2. Dan Ricci is behind the name change at Ossining from RiverHawks to “O” and I assume anyone who reads this blog knows why. You noticed they didn’t change the name to “D”. Enough said.
3. Desiderio is out at Haldane and has been named the new head coach at Purchase College taking over for Steve Loscher. Loscher is taking his skills and drills show on the road while also managing the 6 Weight Watchers centers he owns and maintains.
4. John Reilly has entered a Buddhist Monastery and will now be known as Buddha of the Hardwood.
While the above is very entertaining, is any of it true? If it were it would make for some great breaking news in Section 1 basketball.
Hoops32 I refer you to this little nugget…”It’s not a lie if you believe it”-George Costanza
In case anyone missed it: HV trounced Long Island today(7/27/07).