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Ansonia
Sophomore Allison Phillippi works the ball against Yellow
Springs Monday.
Phillippi is part of a young Ansonia team that is under
the instruction of veteran coach Jim Bolin.
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A-Lady Tigers gearing up for action
By George Starks
ANSONIA - With the 2013-14 basketball season close at hand, the Ansonia
Lady Tigers are gearing for the 2013-14 basketball season.
Under the direction of long time veteran coach Jim Bolin, the Tigers
are looking at a marked improvement from a 2-22 season a year ago.
The Tigers had a big tune-up against Yellow Springs Monday in
preparation for opening night at Tri-Village against the host Patriots.
Monday against the Bulldogs, Ansonia got a weak start out of the gates
but rebounded nicely as the Tiger defense spoke volumes.
“We weren’t ready to play in the first quarter,” said Bolin. “We came
in here and we weren’t ready for a game, we thought we were going to
have a practice and you can’t do that. I’ve told them all year long
that you have to bring it every night and be ready to play basketball.”
Take the opening 10 minutes away and the Tigers were exceptional in all
areas of the game.
Ansonia took control of things in the second frame and it all started
on defense and in the rebounding department.
“You have to remember, we are a very young team,” said Bolin. “We hit
the boards well after the first quarter. We controlled the boards and I
thought Jalen (Thwaits) and Catey (Fischer) did a real fine job on the
boards. That’s one of the things we have to come to practice for every
night. It’s a fundamental thing. You have to do the fundamentals.”
It was a night when both Thwaits and Fischer shined, but it was also a
night when two guards for Bolin stood out.
Allison Philippi and Lydia Sink.
“Both of those girls are going to be great guards,” Bolin pointed out.
“Both of them are real aggressive and they shoot fairly well. We are
looking for great things out of both of them.”
With a major lack of height, the Tigers will rely on quickness
and speed.
Monday, against the Bulldogs, the Tigers ran the break with good
precision.
“We have been working on that in practice,” Bolin stated. We don’t have
any great size so when we get the ball off the boards, we have to run
the primary break every time. When you get to the foul line and it’s
not available, then you back it out and run your half-court offense.”
With defense being the start of some of the offense, Ansonia took
advantage of forced turnovers with defensive pressure, creating points
on the offensive end.
“We played a man defense tonight. There was no pressing,” said Bolin.
“We forced some turnovers in the backcourt. I thought we played
well tonight. As a coach, you want the kids to buy into the defense.
All championships are won with defense and the kids are buying in to
that.”
Ansonia will open at Tri-Village a week from Friday as the Bill Burkett
kicks the season off for Ansonia, Arcanum, Franklin Monroe and the host
Patriots.
Junior varsity action starts at noon with the varsity starting at 6 p.m.
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Ansonia's Lydia Sink
eyes the bucket during a recent scrimmage against Yellow Springs.
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