More focused Trojan girls ready for an improved basketball season

Petaluma put its scheduled girls basketball opening game against Tamalpais on hold on Veteran’s Day because the Marin based Red Tail Hawks (11-10) asked the game to be postponed citing a wave of flu which left too few players to compete. A make-up date will be announced later in the season.

Later, the Trojans traveled to Santa Rosa for a scrimmage with Elsie Allen. Coach Sophie Bihn was surprised with the improved play of the opposing Lobos and allowed that it took time on the floor for her team to respond and get some quality time on the floor without veteran top scorer Mallory O'Keefe who moved on via graduation.

Leading the list of returning players for the Trojans this season will be senior shooting guard Brooke Baxman who averaged 5.1 points per game, and was second in team assists under Bihn. One of the best scoring outputs for the quick fourth-year player was 10 points against Vine Valley Athletic League runner-up American Canyon.

“We could be better this year because the girls are more focused, and they want to be successful,” reflected Bihn. “They respect each other and appear to be ready to play as a team with focus.”

Petaluma posted a record of 7-17 in 2021.

Another player with potential who could be a standout is explosive junior Sydney Martin. “Sydney has to work on her consistency but she could really have a strong season for us. We brought her into games off the bench last year and she played very well, at times. Sometimes she has tried to do a little too much but she averaged 5.7 points per game in fewer minutes.”

Lucy Nevin, Olivia Hernandez, and Hailey Goebel are all battling for playing time this season.

They will be joined by unproven members of a title-winning junior varsity team, including athletic point guard Lily Gemma and all-purpose player Emma Hale.

One major surprise has been the addition of freshman point guard Lauren Wilson. “We are excited about the play of Lauren who can really see the entire floor,” said Bihn. “I talked to the girls earlier about bringing her up and she has been a welcome addition to the team. She made a couple of varsity level plays in our opening scrimmage at Maria Carrillo that opened our eyes.”

Alyssa Goebel, Avery Pontius, Gianna Scaccalosi, Emma Kee and Natalie Minor are all working to secure time on the floor as the Trojans will rework their schedule to play Tam at a more opportune time for both teams.

LOSS AT HOME

Visiting Healdsburg took advantage of a superior front line to bury the Petaluma girls basketball team 48-29 in the first Trojan home game of the season last week.

Center Allie Espinoza had her way in the low block position as she poured in 22 points against shorter Trojan defenders to lead the way for the winning Hounds. Espinoza and teammate Itzel Ortiz completely controlled the boards as Healdsburg ran its early season record to 3-0 with the lopsided victory.

The Hounds jumped to a 7-0 advantage in the opening period and never looked back.

Finally, with more than two minutes remaining in the first half, Alyssa Gpebel hit an open shot to put the Trojans on the scoreboard. The Trojans never made the game competitive however.

Healdsburg led 28-14 at halftime, and maintained their advantage the rest of the way.

Espinoza, a 6-foot junior player, had 12 rebounds and scored 10 points in the third period. The rotating Trojan defenders had no answer.

Ortiz had 9 rebounds for the Hounds before taking a hard fall to the floor in the fourth stanza.

The outcome was no surprise to former Healdsburg Tribune sports editor Greg Clementi who indicated the Hounds have been building a strong program the last few years and that they were 17-9 in the North Coast Section and second place finishers in the North Bay Redwood League last season.

The Trojans, averaging only 30 points in season-opening defeats at the hands of Analy and Healdsburg, were led in scoring by Goebel with 10 points and Hernandez who added 6.

Petaluma didn’t get many open shots against the half-court defense of Healdsburg with many efforts coming under extreme pressure.

The Trojans rotated Baxman and Gemma at the point in an effort to swing into a split the post offensive set, but uncontested shots were not there.

Martin came alive in the second half with driving shots to knock in 5 points for the Trojans. Martin and Nevin competed well on the glass in the late stages of the contest.

After trailing most of the first half, the Petaluma junior varsity rallied in the late minutes to secure a narrow 31-29 win over the little Hounds in the preliminary game.