PREP BASKETBALL 2016: Petaluma’s T-Girls are veteran, but still young

Petaluma High School’s T-Girls basketball team is a young, but veteran team.

New coach Jon Ratshin’s first T-Girl team has eight returning players, but only two seniors.

To complicate matters, the team’s tallest player, and one of its best, sophomore Jaden Krist, is still recovering from a leg injury suffered last year, and it is unclear when she will be available.

“We’re hoping for the best, but she is not medically cleared, and we just have to wait and see,” the coach says.

Meanwhile, Ratshin is sorting through the Petaluma roster, looking for the right combination to improve on last season’s 9-17 overall and 7-5 Sonoma County League records.

He is also looking for player leadership. It could come from his seniors, returning veteran Emily O’Keefe and newcomer Marcie George.

According to the coach, O’Keefe, an all-league softball pitcher, has shown signs of taking on the leadership role.

George was impressive in the T-Girls opening game against Drake, scoring eight points.

Petaluma does have several players with experience in its front court with juniors Nichole Costa, Madeline Abramson and Kelsey Martin all returning. Ava Chabot and Angelina Scaccalosi both got playing time last season as freshmen. Sophomore Lilly Catarozoli will also be in the mix for court time.

Costa is expected to be especially important for the T-Girls. She led the team with nine points against Drake.

One of Ratshin’s biggest challenges will be to find guards who can handle the pressure opposing teams are sure to throw at the young Trojans.

“We have no experienced ball handlers,” he points out.

Among those who are working to take on the ball handling roles are O’Keefe, George, sophomore Kaileigh Pate and junior Courtney Temple.

Another intriguing possibility is Paris Buchanan, who has been impressive enough to make the varsity as a freshman.

Ratshin would like to have the T-Girls play an up-tempo game, but notes that will depend on how well they rebound and handle the basketball. “We will look for opportunities to fast break,” he says. He says he expects the T-Girls to get better as the season progresses.

“It’s a learning process at both ends,” he explains, “for the girls and for me.”

One thing he has been impressed with is his team’s collective attitude.

“They are a great group of girls,” he explains. “There is no attitude. They are just trying to get better.”

The T-Girls will have to do most of their improving on the road. After hosting Casa Grande on Wednesday night, they go to Menlo School (Dec. 1), Livermore (Dec. 5) and Novato (Dec. 6); come home for a game against Alhambra (Dec. 12) and then go right back on the road to play in the Tamalpais Tournament (Dec. 15-17) and the prestigious West Coast Jamboree (Dec. 28-30).

Ratshin admits he knows very little about the SCL, but he has seen Analy and is impressed with the Lady Tigers.

He is also familiar with the Sonoma Valley program, having worked as an assistant coach for the Sonoma boys varsity team.

Before coming to Petaluma, he coached boys teams at Woodside Priory and Kehillah Jewish and worked with the North Bay Basketball Academy.