MHS girls look to get healthy after SCT loss

Team looks ahead to state playoffs

By: John E. Powers
   
   When the Manville High School girls’ basketball team began its 2002-03 season, optimism was aplenty because the team had a wealth of experience back on the floor. What first-year head coach Ryan Shapiro couldn’t have predicted was the wealth of injury and illness that has worn his team down.
   Senior forward Jessica Droz, though not pronounced done for the season, is recovering from a broken pinky on her left-hand – the one she shoots with. Senior guard Renee Giraldi is done for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament and senior center Amy Ortman has been plagued by a virus that has limited her effectiveness in the last few weeks and hurt her during last Thursday night’s Somerset County Tournament game at Somerville.
   The ninth-seeded Lady Mustangs were ousted by eighth-seeded Somerville 47-37 in a pre-quarterfinal round game in Somerville. Somerville was scheduled to play top-seeded Immaculata in a quarterfinal match up Monday, but heavy snow wiped the game out.
   Manville’s gritty senior point guard Lisa Lavenia played what Shapiro believed was her best all-around game of the season. Lavenia scored a team-high 13 points and also made seven steals and had six assists.
   "She kept us in the game in the third quarter," Shapiro said.
   Manville (10-8) got off to a quick start with an 8-3 lead, but was outscored 8-1 the rest of the first period. Then, the Mustangs were shut out 9-0 in the second period and were behind 23-9 at halftime after the 17-1 Somerville run.
   "I think we missed eight free throws in the second quarter, three layups… nothing fell, nothing," Shapiro said. "We might have turned the ball over 12 times. Amy was sick and she picked up two fouls in the first period, but we were gutsy as usual."
   Lavenia got her team going in the third quarter by scoring seven consecutive points at one stretch to pull the Mustangs to within 27-19. Somerville was bothered by missing its standout guard Tori Darby, who was out with an asthmatic condition. Lavenia made several steals when Somerville reeled from Manville’s zone press. Lavenia had seven of her 13 in the fourth quarter when the Manville girls stirred.
   By the fourth quarter, the team was down 35-25. Once again, the Lady Mustangs knew an opportunity had slipped by. Somerville not only played without Darby, but two of its starters – Courtney Hilts and Ebony Vandervoort – fouled out in the fourth quarter. Still, the MHS girls couldn’t get any closer than 10.
   Sophomore forward Tara Calvo had a game-high 14 points and recorded five rebounds. Forward Katie Wettstein scored 10 points, six in the second period when Somerville really took command of the game.
   Junior forward Stephanie Bocchino once again played well for Manville, scoring eight points, including one 3-pointer. Bocchino scored the game’s first four points. Senior forward Jenna Breslow contributed seven points. Ortman was limited to three points.
   The Lady Mustangs will play a first-round Central Jersey Group 1 game at South River on Thursday, March 6. They were scheduled to play at St. Mary of Elizabeth Wednesday.
   "We have some games that I hope to get made up because we’re going to need to play some games between the St. Mary game and the state game," Shapiro said.
   With the injuries to his two senior starters, the last few games have given Shapiro the opportunity to play youngsters like Bocchino and sophomore guard Dana Delesky, who usually spells Lavenia. But that wasn’t the way Shapiro hoped to get his youngsters playing time.
   "Maybe we can get Jessica back, but Renee… I don’t mess around with knee injuries," he said.