AMBRIDGE – Like many, Ambridge’s girls basketball team is thrilled to see 2020 in the rearview mirror and 2021 ahead.
The Bridgers were able to start practicing Jan. 4 and, after school board approval, were permitted to open game action this week. The news got even better after Thursday’s 50-39 home victory over Central Valley in a WPIAL Section 2-4A game – the triumph matched their win output from all of last season.
“It’s just nice to get a win with how many practices we’ve had,” Ambridge senior Rachel Guthrie said. “Especially with it being my senior season – we don’t know what is to come. We’re just lucky to even have a season. This win gives us some momentum.”
Ambridge, which finished 1-20 last season, bid farewell to a winless 2020 calendar year. The squad’s last victory came on Dec. 8, 2019.
“It’s good to get a win early this year,” Guthrie said. “It sets the tone for the season and especially for the younger kids who didn’t get to play much last year. It really just shows what we can do as a team together.”
The Bridgers believe they are building some chemistry quickly after COVID-19 restrictions limited the team’s offseason.
“It’s really nice to be with everyone because we aren’t in school,” Ambridge senior Sofia Chickos said. “It’s nice to connect with our teammates, not only on the court, but after practices and games. It’s been really nice to have everybody back in the gym and to compete together.
“We can get down on each other sometimes, but that happens to every team. We like to build each other up during practice,” she continued. “During games, you can hear us on the bench cheering everyone on. It’s nice to have all of us be like a family. We’re just going to try to win as many games as we can.”
Ambridge (1-1 overall and section) opened its season with a 52-20 setback to Quaker Valley on Monday. The Bridgers got off to a slow start against the Warriors (1-4, 1-3) as they fell behind, 23-20, at halftime and faced a 30-22 deficit early in the third. However, they stormed back with a 9-2 run to close the frame and cut the deficit to 32-31 at the buzzer.
Central Valley’s Paige Elmer scored the first basket of the fourth quarter, but Ambridge used a 13-0 run to take command. Alivea Bupp’s bucket capped the spree and gave the Bridgers a 44-34 lead with 2:28 to go.
“We’ve been working hard. The team only won one game last year, so we’re just taking each game one at a time. We wanted to win tonight and we did that,” Ambridge assistant coach Lisa Fox said. “We really couldn’t play much (in the offseason). There wasn’t much AAU and there wasn’t much team basketball this spring and this summer and there really wasn’t anything this fall. I think we just want to see progression. Every day, we’re getting a little bit better. From Day One to now, it’s been a huge difference. They are really buying into what we’re selling. We’ll get better. I am pleased. I am very happy with the win; it was a great team win.”
Central Valley’s Alyssa Gillin led all scorers with 24 points. Elmer added nine. Guthrie scored a team-high 14 for Ambridge, while Chickos had 12.
The Link LonkJanuary 22, 2021 at 10:49AM
https://www.timesonline.com/story/sports/high-school/2021/01/21/ambridge-girls-hoops-happy-start-fresh-after-miserable-2020/6667217002/
Ambridge girls hoops happy to start fresh after miserable 2020 - The Times
https://news.google.com/search?q=fresh&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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