New coach sees great potential in Pine-Richland girls basketball lineup

By: Shawn Annarelli
Sunday, December 13, 2020 | 1:54 PM

Pine-Richland’s new girls basketball coach Kyle DeGregorio routinely tells his players they will be an elite team.

He always adds that it’s just a matter of how long it takes.

“I live day-to day, and I just want us to get better, compete every day, mature as competitors and learn more about the game,” DeGregorio said. “The more we know from a team concept standpoint and the more we develop our skills, the result will be built-up confidence, and we’ll be able to compete at a high level. It’s the same formula we used at Baldwin.”

DeGregorio and assistant coach Eden Bloom helped turn around a Baldwin girls basketball program that had won three games prior to their first year with the Highlanders. In a span of two years, Baldwin qualified for the state playoffs and knocked off the top-ranked team in the first round.

They’ve taken over a Pine-Richland program that similarly won four games last season.

“My expectations never change,” DeGregorio said. “I’m not a guy with a three-year plan or anything like that. I’ve got a day-to-day plan to be the best versions of ourselves. When we compete, I want to compete really hard. I want to learn from the competition and continue to get better. Just because it’s year one, I’m not going to put any limitations on this group. They’re a very talented group.”

The Rams will be built around sophomore Kaili Doctor, who will be counted on to be a force offensively and to defend each opponent’s best player.

“Kaili is a super kid,” DeGregorio said. “She is smart. She cares about the team and understands the responsibilities she has on this team and the importance she brings to our success. She has a great soul and a great spirit, and she wants to be really good. We have a really great group of kids to play around her as well.”

DeGregorio also will count on junior guard Kaitlyn Kerns’ on-court leadership.

“Kaitlyn Kerns is a really tough kid who was probably one of my first believers,” DeGregorio said. “She continues to get better and better. We’re going to lean on her toughness a lot, especially early on.”

Kerns is one of five juniors on the team, including Rylie Bach, Sophie Catalano, Gianna Reighard and Erica Weinberg, in DeGregorio’s top-eight rotation.

The Rams’ junior class, combined with senior Ekat Balouris, gives them six upperclassmen with on-court experience, one year after having only two.

“We all know our place on the team, and us having more stability helps the younger girls, too,” Kerns said. “I’m 100% confident having more older players with experience on this year’s team will help us be more competitive, and we haven’t had that in a while.”

The Rams also will call on 6-foot-2 sophomore M.J. Laird and 6-foot freshman Madison Zavasky to use their size and athleticism in the post.

“The sky is the limit for M.J., because she wants to be better, works really hard, and she can run, and I can’t teach 6-foot-2,” DeGregorio said. “Madison is a spectacular athlete. We’ll throw her into the fire. We’ll play a lot of kids. My coaching staffs have always done that with our style of dribble drive and press.”

Sophomore Sarah Pifer reminds DeGregorio of Baldwin’s Morgan Altavilla, who progressed into one of his best guards, and she’ll also earn playing time.

“I feel like we’re going into this year with a lot of leaders and good chemistry, and we’re getting to know each other and our new coaches really well,” Doctor said. “(DeGregorio) lets us know he sees a lot of talent on this team, and it makes us want to work hard to show it. The culture and communication we’re going to build on and off the court, as long we have that, we’re only going to keep getting better.”

Tags: Pine-Richland