Shaler girls basketball team ready for challenges ahead

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, November 21, 2018 | 10:57 PM

Earning a second straight trip to the WPIAL Class 6A playoffs won’t be an easy road for the Shaler girls basketball team.

Realignment added a stiff new challenge to the Titans’ schedule. Perennial power Norwin — along with a Fox Chapel program that is a consistent playoff contender but missed last season — were shuffled into Section 1-6A.

Add defending WPIAL champion North Allegheny — in addition to traditional rivals Butler, North Hills, Pine-Richland and Seneca Valley — and competition for playoff spots may be fierce.

It isn’t a challenge Titans coach Cornelious Nesbit believes is insurmountable.

“I think we stack up well. Obviously, each team brings a different challenge for us,” Nesbit said. “That will be on me and my coaching staff to figure out what those challenges are, what the strengths and weaknesses are. We have to come up with a gameplan for them to thrive.”

Adjusting to opponents’ and Shaler’s strengths will be an ongoing process. The Titans open the season against Neshannock at 4 p.m. Dec. 7 at the Ambridge Tournament.

Replacing the production of Meg Lydon, who averaged 16.6 points and contributed 37 percent of the team’s scoring, will be the major challenge for Shaler. The Titans, who finished 10-13 last season, had a number of juniors who saw a lot of playing time.

Guard Emily Cavacini led this group by averaging 8.9 points and 1.8 assists. Guard Meghan Lacey also scored 7.4 points per game, and forward Claire Grunden had 3.0 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.

The Titans also look to senior forward Payten Harrison for contributions.

“All these kids will have to step up, make some more plays and do more things,” Nesbit said. “We may have to do things differently without Lydon. We are capable. We are capable of doing these things and making the playoffs for the second straight year.”

Nesbit would like to see the team play strong situational basketball early in the season. When things break down, or when everything is running smooth, how will the Titans react?

“What we have to do this year is understand we may find ourselves in similar situations,” Nesbit said. “The outcome may not be what we want, but the experience of getting that experience for our juniors and letting them figure out how to make that playoff will benefit them later in the season.”

Josh Rizzo is a freelance writer.

Tags: Shaler