ROBBINSVILLE: RHS girls hoops qualifies for states

By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
   Allison Guido and the Robbinsville High School girls basketball team are just starting to get used to winning.
   Guido, a Ravens senior, has seen a lot of losses in her career, but this year she’s adjusting to a new side, which explains why they have been slow to celebrate some of the biggest wins in school history.
   ”It’s been a complete 180 from everything we’re used to,” Guido said. “It’s been a better year. I’ve had a lot of fun. We’ve had a lot of first-time wins. I’m really excited. I’m pleased how we’re doing. We just have to keep it up.”
   The Ravens extended their season with a 47-36 win over Notre Dame — their first win over the Irish in program history — on Friday. With the win, Robbinsville improved to 8-7 and guaranteed themselves a .500 record at Saturday’s state tournament cutoff.
   ”It was definitely a first time for us,” said Guido, who scored 10 points, her fourth double-digit game of the season. “I was really excited. It was big win for all of us.
   ”For us, it was just another win. It didn’t really set in that states are coming up next. I am excited, even though we may not have shown it in the moment.”
   Guido was one of four players in double figures for the Ravens, who fell to 8-8 with a short-handed 30-27 loss to Southern Regional on Saturday. Fellow seniors Taylor Mayweather and Amanda Orlak had 11 and 10 points respectively, and Julia Kardos had 11 points, one off the sophomore’s career high.
   ”That was great,” Guido said of the balance. “We all played a really good game. We all played together. We had a really good crowd. Everyone had energy. It was an important game. We felt that in the moment, and we all had a really good game.”
   The game helped the Ravens fulfill one big goal. Before the season, they had filled out index cards and the seniors had all written that they wanted to be at least .500 and qualify for the state tournament. In a tight game at halftime with Notre Dame, they remembered that drive as a 13-4 third quarter helped them pull away from the Irish.
   ”I kind of told them at the half, you’re 16 minutes away from making the state tournament the right way for the first time in the history of the school and beating Notre Dame for the first time in school history,” said Ravens’ first-year coach Chris Hoffman. “That’s been the team’s goal all year — to make states the right way. They finally did that. That’s what we emphasized the whole time.”
   Robbinsville also has the Mercer County Tournament on the horizon. The Raven girls are the No. 11 seed for the MCT and will play at No. 6 Allentown next Monday.
   ”I just feel like we’re more in tune with each other on the court now,” Guido said. “We play better together. We know where everybody is supposed to be and know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. It’s working out this year.”
   Robbinsville has surprised people with their success this season. Even Hoffman, a late hire, wasn’t sure things could change this fast.
   ”When I got the job the week before the season, as I got to meet people in the school and people in Mercer County, I knew it’s going to take time,” Hoffman said. “People told me, you’ll be lucky to win one or two games. Coming in, I expected we’d put some new things up and win some games. I didn’t probably expect them to qualify for the state tournament. I’m so proud of them being in every game.
   ”We’re 8-8 and I think we’ve lost one or two by 10 points. They’ve been in every single game. That’s what they’re not used to. We lost to Allentown by four, and to Steinert by two. The Allentown coach, Linda Weise, told me the Robbinsville-Allentown game was always easy, and she said, it’s not anymore.”
   Guido is happy to see how far the program has come in a year. She has followed the team for years and been through the struggles when she moved up to varsity at the end of her freshman year.
   ”Even since I was in eighth grade, I would follow the high school team,” Guido said. “Seeing them struggle season after season and watching people go in and out, I couldn’t imagine anything better for my last year. It’s been really good for my last season. It’s been my best season, one of my favorites.”
   Guido prepares all year for the chance to play basketball, her lone sport at RHS. It’s been tough to look forward to losing seasons, but the difficult times were worth it for this season.
   ”It’s weird to think this is my last go at it,” Guido said. She is starting to realize that she’s in her last go-around against some Colonial Valley Conference teams, and her final home and away games are in the coming month.
   ”It’s starting to sink in,” she said. “We’re talking about Senior Day, and now we’re the seniors.”
   The seniors have paved the way for a new outlook for future Ravens teams. She’s thrilled to be treating the underclassmen to a new standard.
   ”Even after games, we’re saying, this is the first time we beat Notre Dame, this is the first time we had a winning season or a 5-5 or 6-6 season,” Guido said. “This is how everything is for the new girls. Everything we do is breaking the school record or reputation.”
   To get some success, the Ravens have had to go through some changes. Guido is still the point guard, but her responsibilities are somewhat different from prior years.
   ”I would say I had a little more control last year,” Guido said. “We’ve split up the roles, as far as handling the ball goes and who the plays are for. Everyone has plays they’re best for and that are catered for. Everyone shares the roles now.”
   Guido figured out early that things were going to be different this season. She didn’t know if it would lead to the sort of success that the Ravens have enjoyed, but she was excited.
   ”After the first couple practices and some open gym, we had some plays,” Guido said. “Coach Hoffman put in some plays. Even before the first game, in scrimmages, everything started to look better. We started to win and were close in a lot of games. I definitely thought this would be better than seasons in the past.”
   Said Hoffman: “They’re all good students in the classroom. They listen when I teach. They’re all smart kids. That helps too.”
   They are starting to get used to winning. Hoffman never saw Guido as excited as she was after Friday’s win over Notre Dame gave them eight wins.
   ”There’s still one thing left,” Hoffman said. “At 8-8, we’ve tied the school record for wins. We still have a bunch of games left. They want to get that ninth win, so they beat the school record.”
   Beyond the chance to pick up a ninth win in the regular season is now the opportunity to play in their first state tournament.
   ”Quite honestly, I don’t really know what to expect,” Guido said. “I don’t think how big of a deal this is has set in. If we keep doing what we’re doing and practice harder, it’s all up to our coaches and us. Whatever he says, we’ll do.”
   And just maybe that will lead to a really big celebration when the Robbinsville girls basketball team realizes just what it’s been able to do this season.