Coach William Lloyd didn’t know what to expect from his young and inexperienced Bordentown Regional High School girls basketball team coming into the 2021-22 season.
The Scotties returned only one player with varsity experience in senior Oshynn Cosom from last year’s squad.
That led to Lloyd not setting expectations for this season, but instead providing a message of growth to his players and having them understand that what was important to him was seeing them playing their best basketball come February.
February has arrived and Lloyd said he couldn’t be more pleased with where his Scotties are.
Bordentown is currently 6-9 on the season heading into its matchup against Hamilton’s Steinert High School on Feb. 9.
“It’s been exponential growth,” Lloyd said of the 2021-22 season. “We have come a long way as players and as a team. We’re competing right and that’s all I can ask of them”
Having a four-year starter in Cosom has helped the Scotties grow quickly and have success on the court this winter.
Cosom is having a stellar senior campaign, averaging just under 14 points a game.
In all six of Bordentown’s victories this winter, Cosom has led the way for the Scotties with her tremendous ability to score the ball, scoring 14 or more points in each win.
“I’ve been able to do better and adjust to the fact that we are a young team,” Cosom said of her senior campaign. “Making those adjustments have helped me improve my game.”
Cosom helped the Scotties go 15-12 during her sophomore campaign, which was the first winning season Bordentown has had since 2012-13 when they went 19-6.
The past two seasons have played out more differently for Cosom with a pandemic shortened 2021 season and having a brand new cast of teammates around her this winter.
No matter all the changes and challenges she and the Scotties have faced the last two years, Cosom said she has enjoyed her time on the court in Bordentown.
She said she is grateful to have the opportunity as a senior to play a full season and is looking forward to helping her teammates continue to grow on the court the rest of the season.
“I just want to enjoy the rest of the season as much as I can with my teammates ,” Cosom added.
Bordentown has seen many newcomers standout alongside Cosom this winter.
Senior Khushmit Sidhu has handled the point guard duties for the Scotties this season and has provided some leadership in the front court.
Juniors Tatiana Green and Madison Mazzilli have both shined in their first season on varsity.
Green has provided a great presence down in the Bordentown front court, scoring over eight points a game on the block.
Great passing by the Scotties ends with a layup by Tatiana Green. Green has 8 points for Bordentown. @ScottiesBball trail Burlington 40-31 with 4:22 left to play! CC: @central_jersey @brhsathletics @BRHSScotties #NJHoops 🏀 pic.twitter.com/ox4JtpOnEK
— Steven Bassin (@SBassin_Sports) February 7, 2022
Mazzilli is making an impact for Bordentown in the mid-range and three-point game. The junior is averaging six points per game and is second on the team in three-pointers with seven shots made from behind the arc.
As for the underclassmen on the Bordentown roster, sophomore Lillian Nucera and freshman Mackenzie Morton have both made an impact to their spot in the Scotties’ starting lineup.
Nucera made her return to the Bordentown starting lineup against Burlington Township on Feb. 8 after missing two weeks due to a concussion and a broken nose.
The sophomore played well in her return, scoring nine points in the contest.
Lloyd has been very impressed with Nucera’s play this season on varsity and expects bigger things from her next winter.
The growth of Lloyd’s Bordentown squad was put on display against Burlington Township High School.
Bordentown rallied back from a 10-point halftime deficit and trailed a talented Falcons squad 40-34 with just under four minutes to play.
HALFTIME: Oshynn Cosom finds Madison Mazzilli on the fast break for a layup to help @ScottiesBball cut the Burlington Twp lead to 24-14. Cosom leads Bordentown with 6 first half points. CC: @central_jersey @brhsathletics @BRHSScotties #NJHoops 🏀 pic.twitter.com/wjbenXDGVr
— Steven Bassin (@SBassin_Sports) February 7, 2022
Burlington Township pulled away in the final minutes to a 51-36 victory over Bordentown, but Lloyd couldn’t have been prouder of the effort and play his Scotties showed out on the court all night long.
“I couldn’t have been prouder of the way my girls played tonight,” Lloyd said after the game. “They’ve grown together as a team. Their effort tonight was off the charts.”
Cosom scored a team-high 12 points in the loss to Burlington Township. Green finished with 10 points in the contest for Bordentown.
After their home game against Steinert, the Scotties will prepare to host Moorestown on Feb. 15.