Mike Vukovcan Unfortunately, the high school basketball season is officially over in Hopewell.
Monday night, the Hopewell Girls basketball team took on No. 3 seed Elizabeth Forward and were defeated, 69-42.
Despite the loss, there are plenty of reasons to have optimism when looking at the future of the Lady Vikings basketball program and that begins and ends with the talent.
In fact, an argument can definitely be made that the Hopewell HS Girls basketball program has the best chance of immediate and SUSTAINED, LONG-TERM success of all the teams in the district.
My opinion on that is because of the pipeline of talent Hopewell currently has in their youth, junior high and high school programs. That’s how you’re able to have sustained winning.
Unless you win a championship, the end of a season is disappointing for every team, but the good news is that the vast majority of the team is scheduled to return next season. In fact, Alyssa Spang is the only player that the Lady Vikings are scheduled to lose.
That means, Allison Ramaley, Avery Boyd, Maya Richburg, Caylee Sundy, Cici Smetana, Aubrey Cumpston, Hannah McDowell, Addison Blosnick, Harley Hample, Layla Biller, Marlee Page and Amelia McCloskey all could be back.
Sundy, Boyd, Ramaley and Richburg are a nice nucleus to return, plus Blosnick and Smetana saw plenty of varsity time and will be better. McDowell has the height and skill level to be a valuable piece.
Plus, the quality depth will improve with the addition of 8th graders like Ava Ray, Lillian Otto, Lilly Enders and Abby Babinsak. In particular, Enders and Otto will be players that Hopewell can build around because of their size and talent they possess in the paint. Ray is a scrappy point guard that can defend, get the ball to her teammates and has the quickness to dribble into the paint and make things happen.
It doesn’t stop there because the following year, the high school program will then add talent such as Ellie McCoy, Amiyah Shell, Arionna Shell and Dallas Boyd. Being at many of the junior high games this past year, the sky is the limit for the Shell sisters and McCoy.
While this is a long time to project, it sure looks like 6th grader Rilynn Davis is a player with a very bright future in basketball.
So, the point I’m making should be pretty obvious, the Hopewell Vikings girls basketball program has a long wave of talent coming through the program over the next 5-6 years and possibly beyond.
While last night was disappointing, basketball fans and players should remain optimistic because they should a mainstay in the WPIAL playoff field for years to come.
The question the coaching staff is no doubt thinking about is how can they get over the hurdle of finally winning a first-round game? Last night was the third consecutive year in which they bowed out in the opening round.
One way would be individual year-to-year individual improvement, but a huge way would be to have a better seeding in the playoffs.
Last night against Elizabeth Forward, Hopewell entered as the No. 13 seed and the year prior, they were the No. 14 seed. Anytime you’re a double-digit seed, you’re going to be playing a low seed in the 1st round and it’s going to be difficult.
Hopewell finished the regular season as the 4th place team in their conference, which is why they received the No. 13 seeding. Next year, the goal has to be having a better regular season and trying to move up a spot or two in the regular season standings, which would get them a better playoff seeding.
The offseason for the Lady Vikings begins today, let’s hope it’s a beneficial one because if it is, the conversation a year from now about this program could be a lot different.
