ALLENTOWN: Redbirds eye big girls hoops season

By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
   The Allentown High School girls basketball team was an up-and-coming team a year ago.
   The Redbirds have arrived this season.
   Allentown returns a solid nucleus of last year’s experience and with it comes higher expectations after going 14-10 and exiting in the first round of the Central Jersey Group III state tournament and the second round of the Mercer County Tournament.
   ”It’s a little different role for us,” said Allentown head coach Linda Weise. “Last year, we were young and starting two or three freshmen. With that experience, that’s going to help us. With the senior leadership we have, that will help.
   ”It is a different role. Instead of the hunter, we are the hunted. Teams will get up to play us. I’m confident the girls will handle things well.”
   The Redbirds have been able to pick up where they left off with so many pieces back, and to that group they have added some talented newcomers. Allentown opens the season at Princeton High.
   ”There’s not enough time to put everything in,” Weise said. “It’s exciting at the same time. We have a talented group returning. Most of my starters are returning.”
   Back for the Redbirds are senior combination guard Brianna Gurdon, sophomore point guard Kali Hartshorn, senior forward/center Mandy Hornyak, senior forward/center Kathleen Kyle, sophomore shooting guard, Hope Narozniak, senior shooting guard Kirsten Romano and sophomore forward Bianca Santos. New this year are transfers Camille Flim, a sophomore guard/forward, Alissa Lebers, a junior guard/forward, and Christa Lebers, a junior guard.
   ”Those three will help us,” Weise said of the newcomers. “I think we have a lot of depth. We have a lot of athleticism. It’s just trying to make that all work as a team, play as a team and share the basketball. That’s our biggest challenge.”
   The Redbirds have been trying to test themselves in the preseason. They took on Monsignor Donovan in their first scrimmage as they looked to grow together.
   ”They’re a pretty good team from the Shore area,” Weise said. “I think they were 20-5 last year. We had a good first half and saw some good things. We’re still trying to work on things.”
   Weise has some solid pieces in place already, but she wants the team to be more cohesive together and for everyone to know their roles and how they can help Allentown improve. The Redbirds can’t rely just on their talent if they want to meet their expectations.
   ”It’s a matter of having more time playing with each other,” Weise said. “We have some newcomers that are joining the kids that were here last year. It’s just taking time to develop that chemistry. The more they play together, the better we’ll become.
   ”It’s a little different role for us. We’re expecting to be good. We’re hoping to set some lofty goals for our team — win our conference, get to the Mercer County finals and win that and advance in states. I think the girls are pretty driven to do some things this year.”
   This is a special year. The Redbirds have a solid senior class, then experienced sophomores who started or logged plenty of playing time last year, and some new additions that are talented and will contribute as soon as they are eligible to play.
   ”Camille came in this summer,” Weise said. “The Lebers came back in February. They started their 20 days then and then have 10 days to sit out. They’re eligible Dec. 31. All three are nice additions.”
   The added depth and the returning experience gives the Redbirds some flexibility in their approach to how to play and who to play.
   ”It’s not a set five,” Weise said. “I don’t think we have that now. We might have a set two or three. I think we can rotate others. It depends on who we play. It depends on the size, speed, or zone who we go with. That’s a nice plus to have.”
   She also sees the Redbirds forcing the issue a bit with their talent. They can do more this year because they are fortunate to have more flexibility than usual.
   ”I think we’ll be more of a full-court pressing team,” Weise said. “Normally we do more things in a halfcourt situation. We just have to get in that habit. We tend to fall back after a basket. We were doing that in our scrimmage. It’s got to become a habit.”
   The Redbirds played against mostly a zone defense by Monsignor Donovan. Allentown has been working on its own man-to-man defense and feels it has the athletes to be able to pressure opponents.
   ”We’re athletic,” Weise said. “Our kids can really move. We have some speed. We have some height. We can come with some different looks. We can full-court press or half-court trap. It’s a matter of being good at some of them. It’s a little overwhelming for the girls and trying to learn what we’re doing. Hopefully we’ll adjust.”
   They should have their share of tests. After Princeton, they will take on a Hun School team that will already have played several more games than the Redbirds. It is the sort of game that should help them prepare for the challenges in the Colonial Valley Conference. The Patriot Division will again feature some tough competition.
   ”Last year, we finished 14-10,” Weise said. “Having everyone pretty much who played returning, you hope you can improve on that record. You’re looking around at other schools and seeing who left. Hopewell will still be tough. They’ve won it six years in a row, and hopefully it’s our turn. We have to have good chemistry and share the ball and hopefully good things happen when we do that.”
   Middletown North, who ended their season last year in the state tournament, is on the schedule. Northern Burling has been added. The Redbirds are still looking for a holiday tournament.
   ”We tried to build a tougher non-conference schedule,” Weise said. “Our CVC schools will be tough with Ewing, Hopewell, Notre Dame and Trenton High.”
   The Redbirds are hoping that they are tougher. They took steps last year with some wins that gave them confidence and encouragement for this season, and with another year of experience and some strong additions, the Redbird girls are ready for any challenge they could face.