BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer
Senior leadership and a pair of backcourt bandits put the Howell Rebels in a position to make the state playoffs.
With the deadline for teams to be .500 coming up on Saturday, Julie Hoebee’s Rebel girls are 8-5 with two games to play this week. Teams with a .500 or better record qualify for the NJSIAA sectional playoffs coming up later in the month. This is just what Hoebee expected of her young, and still growing, team.
The backcourt sophomores Brianne Lavin and Ali Goldsmith have been instrumental to Howell’s success. Because both can handle the point guard position, Hoebee hasn’t designated one to run the show by herself. She has taken the pressure off them by letting them share it.
"Both are confident at point guard," Hoebee said.
Besides, the greatest value they have to the club is the defensive abilities.
"They play well together defensively," Hoebee pointed out. "They worked hard over the summer learning when to go for the steal and when to contain."
That intelligent play has kept them on the court and out of foul trouble.
Lavin and Goldsmith are the catalysts of a very aggressive, ball-hawking defense that has turned steals and turnovers into points. According to Hoebee, Howell turned its season around by turning up the heat on defense.
"The girls realized they have to be very aggressive of defense," she said. "They’ve been picking pockets, stealing the ball and getting lay-ups."
Howell’s transition offense, led by its point guards on the break, has helped the point production tremendously. They are getting easy baskets.
In the halfcourt, seniors Courtney Krol and Ashley Healy, 5-10, are Howell’s inside presence.
Healy is the team’s post scorer. And Krol, who isn’t looked to for scoring, does a great job away from the ball setting screens for her teammates.
One of the beneficiaries of her screens is sophomore forward Colleen Thomas, who is shooting 50 percent from the field and, in the last three games, has scored in double-figures. She is getting open off screens and knocking down the shot.
With Howell’s halfcourt offense getting more efficient and the defensive pressure creating easy transition baskets, Howell is scoring more points.
The increased scoring, coupled with Howell’s very tough defense, has led to victories.
Freshman Erin Donahue has been a very pleasant surprise for the Rebels, contributing well beyond expectations. Donahue is the sixth man who provides a spark off the bench. She provides another post player, but is athletic enough to play outside.
"She plays like a seasoned veteran," Hoebee said.
Krol and Healy, the only seniors in the Rebel rotation, have brought more than their talents and experience to the team.
"They are excellent leaders," Hoebee said. "They are passionate about basketball. When they walk out on the court every game, they’re ready to go. They are good role models for the others. They have talent the young players under their wing."
Howell came up with two huge wins last week to improve their chances of making the postseason. The two wins lifted them from a 5-5 mark to 7-5. With three games this week, Howell needed just one win to clinch a playoff berth. and got that win on Monday with a 40-33 triumph over Middletown North.
Thursday night, the Rebels avenged an earlier loss to Freehold Township with a 57-37 win in Freehold. Thomas led a balanced attack with 16.
On Saturday in Middletown, the Rebels used a 17-12 second quarter edge to grab the lead and then held Middletown South off in the second half to secure a 52-48 victory. Healy had 13, Thomas 12 and Krol 10.
Tonight the Rebels host Manalapan at 5:30.