Gateway girls embrace being Road Gators in early going

By: Robert Scott
Friday, December 27, 2019 | 6:06 PM

Gateway girls basketball coach Curtis Williams preaches to his team the three “E’s” — energy, effort and enthusiasm.

The Gators had to use all three and more to persevere through a challenging early season schedule with just one home contest in the season’s first nine games.

“Being on the road is challenging, but I expect every game to be close,” junior guard/forward Dynasty Shegog said. “I know (losses against Oakland Catholic and Armstrong) didn’t go our way, but I still believe in my team.”

Despite the tough road, the Gators won four of five to start the season with victories over Connellsville and Uniontown at the Fayette County Coaches Association tip-off tournament and Section 2-5A wins over Franklin Regional and Mars.

Gateway’s momentum started to sputter with four-point road losses to Oakland Catholic and section foe Armstrong before competing in the Betsy Invitational at Elizabeth Forward last weekend.

The team’s second home game this season is Friday against Hampton.

Even with a 4-3 overall record and a 2-1 section mark, Williams sees many more needs of improvement than strengths in his young team.

“We have lost a couple close games (including a buzzer-beater loss to Penn-Trafford and losing by four points to Oakland Catholic and Armstrong), so I knew it would be a tough start, but we are inexperienced and that’s the biggest thing we have to work on,” he said.

“We need to be more competitive and more physical. If we work hard and play hard we will get results.”

Williams was impressed with the how his team pulled out a Dec. 16 victory against Mars, 35-34.

With five games ending with a point differential of four or less, Williams thinks his team is understanding how to thrive in high-pressure situations.

“(The team) is learning how to compete through adversity and how to respond to it, but we don’t have the composure that I want us to have,” Williams said.

“Two years ago when we won a championship, every game was a two-point game. We were able to make plays at critical junctures to secure victories. This group is too inexperienced to (do that yet).”

Williams said the close losses to Oakland Catholic and Armstrong were eye-openers for the younger players in knowing how thin the line is between success and failure.

When it comes to scoring, Williams may take solace in the fact he does not have to rely on one player.

Besides senior center and Kent State commit Lexi Jackson, the team has been able to rely on Shegog and sophomore point guard Lexi Margolis.

Both Margolis and Shegog have taken turns leading the team in scoring with Jackson, including a 26-point game against Uniontown from Margolis and a 17-point, 10-rebound performance against Penn-Trafford from Shegog.

“I would say my shooting ability has helped the team so far and also my ability to see the floor very well,” Margolis said.

“I have gotten better at being more vocal, knowing where everyone should or shouldn’t be when running plays and do my best to get them in the right spot.”

Margolis began her varsity career as a starting freshman point guard, which she admits was challenging to deal with mentally. As a sophomore, she is trying to serve as an example for this year’s freshmen who are on the verge of being starters.

“Last year, I would come out to every game nervous being a starting point guard as a freshman, but this year I am way more confident,” she said.

“I’m trying to help (freshman guard) Marina Grado and mentor her. Knowing you have someone to count on is sure a help when under so much pressure.”

Being on a team with five underclassmen, Shegog said she has given herself the responsiblity of being a leader.

Shegog also feels while she has blossomed to a more offensive player this season, it is her defense she is most proud of.

“The defensive end is my strongest part of my game, I love being aggressive and applying pressure on ball,” She said.

“Also, what I’ve gotten better at over the summer was being more comfortable on the wing. My whole life I was always a post player, so when (Williams) told me I would be a guard, I knew I had to work hard on my skills.”

Robert Scott III is a Tribune-Review contributing writer.

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