Trib HSSN girls basketball player of the week for week ending Jan. 2, 2022

By: Don Rebel
Monday, January 3, 2022 | 8:52 AM

After years of success, the Beth-Center girls basketball program struggled last season, finishing with a 3-11 record that included 10 straight losses.

Even in a year where all were welcome to participate in the WPIAL basketball playoffs, the Bulldogs passed on playing in the open tournament.

This season has been a rough start in the first year for new Beth-Center coach, Lyndsey Huhn.

“During the first few weeks of the season, we have faced several team injuries and have had to overcome them. It is definitely different being on this side of the court opposed to playing, but I love every minute of it,” she said.

Huhn also loves the play of Bulldogs guard Julia Ogrodowski. The team’s lone senior has been filling the nets in trying to get Beth-Center back on the winning track.

“Julia has put in countless hours in the gym working on her shot and bettering herself,” Huhn said. “Julia will either drive to the basket or pull up for a nice jump shot. She also is a great team player and will pass up an open shot just to give someone else the opportunity to score.”

Last week, Beth-Center carried a 0-4 record into the Laurel Highlands Holiday Tournament.

Ogrodowski scored 25 points on Tuesday in a first round loss to Washington.

“The key to Julia’s performance against Washington was she drove the ball when she had an open lane or knew she could take her defender off of the dribble,” Huhn said. “She made key foul shots as well as her outside shot.”

Beth-Center got in the win column Thursday when it knocked off Geibel, 40-21.

“Julia’s performance against Geibel Catholic was a nice boost to the team win,” Huhn said. “Once again, she drove the ball when she knew she could take her defender. Her teammates also recognized when she had a mismatch or had the open shot.”

Again, Ogrodowski finished with a game high 25 points.

“Coming into this season, Julia knew she was going to be the only upperclassmen on the team,” Huhn said. “We are a young team and it is nice having the leadership from Julia on the floor.”

Scoring and leadership are part of the complete game that Ogrodowski brings to the table.

“Julia’s strengths are definitely her awareness of the floor and her ability to either drive to the basket or pull up for a jumper,” Huhn said. “She also is a key component to our defense.”

The 41.5 points per game allowed put the Bulldogs in the middle of the pack defensively in all of Class 2A.

Now B-C needs to improve an offense that is sixth from the bottom in the class, averaging nearly 29 points per game with Ogrodowski carrying the load thus far.

It won’t get any easier with the start of section play this week. The Bulldogs have to improve quickly to compete against the likes of Serra Catholic, Seton LaSalle and California among others in Section 2-2A.

However Thursday’s win was a good boost for the Bulldogs heading into 2022.

“Getting our first win was a great feeling and a great team win,” Huhn said. “My staff and I are so proud of our team. We can’t wait to start section play this week and hopefully keep the momentum going.”

2022 Trib HSSN Girls Basketball Players of the Week

Week 1 – Morgan Altavilla, Baldwin

Tags: Beth-Center