Cal’s Greco likes what she sees with Lady Trojans
California's Jordyn Cruse (14) pulls down a rebound in front of three Fort Cherry players during the Lady Trojans' WPIAL playoff victory at California last season.
Melanie Greco
Melanie Greco enters her first year as the head coach of the California Trojans girls basketball team and, so far, she is happy with what she has seen from the team.
鈥淚 am very excited about the direction things are going,鈥� said Greco. 鈥淲e have 13 girls, and everyone is working really hard.
鈥淭hey have a ton of energy, they want to go after it and this is a great thing.鈥�
Greco will lean on three returning senior starters: forward Kendelle Weston and guards McKenna Hewitt and Jordyn Cruse.
鈥淲hile all positions are open with me being new, we have eight or nine girls competing for the five spots,鈥� Greco said. 鈥淚 am still learning what the girls can do.
鈥淲hile we have other girls who have some experience, those three seniors are key.鈥�
Three players are competing for the other two starting positions, including senior forward Alexis Sherman and junior forwards Delaney Ruth and Samantha Smichnick.
鈥淎ll three got playing time last year,鈥� Greco said. 鈥淭hey will be important for us.鈥�
Other players Greco mentioned include sophomore guards Rakiyah Porter and Azzy Colditz, sophomore forward Gabby Pendo and a quartet of freshmen, guards Hailee Brown, Addison Gregory and Cheyenne Whiteskunk and forward Hannah Hull.
When asked about Section 2-AA, where California will compete with Beth-Center, Carmichaels, Frazier, Serra Catholic and Seton-La Salle, Greco was honest.
鈥淪erra and Seton-La Salle are always strong, but my opinion is up in the air with me being new to the section and to the team,鈥� said Greco. 鈥淏ut, with us, I see a lot of nice things and the girls are working hard on fundamentals.
鈥淏ut, there is an uncertainty of what other teams have.鈥�
What does Greco see as keys to the season?
鈥淗ow well we are able to execute in terms of doing the simple things over and over again will be important,鈥� said Greco. 鈥淲e have talent, but have to blend it all together to execute to the best of our ability.鈥�
California opens the season at Mapletown on Dec. 13.