New coach among many changes for Apollo-Ridge girls basketball this season

By: Michael Love
Monday, November 11, 2024 | 5:30 PM

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The Apollo-Ridge girls basketball team experienced change several times in the offseason.

The Lady Vikings had to say goodbye to a trio of starters: leading scorer and all-star Sophia Yard as well as Malea Veneziani and Jaden Mull. They also found out over the winter that they would be dropping down from Class 3A to Class 2A to face a new group of teams in section play.

Then, in May, the program welcomed in Raevaan Mottley, a Greensburg Salem graduate who most recently served six years as a girls assistant at Leechburg, as the new coach.

“I think there is a lot of excitement right now with the team and how we are coming together,” said guard Mya McClain, one of the two returning starters along with junior power forward Josalin McCauley. “There is a lot of opportunity for many of the younger girls to grow. There were a lot of younger girls my freshman year, and we’ve all grown a lot from that year (2022-23).

“Seeing the potential of all the girls this year, my senior year next year, and years after that, it’s pretty exciting. I think that if we work hard and put our minds to it, we have a good chance to win a section title.”

To win a section title, the Vikings will have to win in Section 4-2A against Ellis, Frazier, Jeannette, Riverview and Winchester Thurston.

Jeannette and Riverview were playoffs qualifiers last year in Class A, and Winchester Thurston made it to the Class 2A quarterfinals and earned a berth to the PIAA tournament.

Last year’s WPIAL Class 2A champion, Greensburg Central Catholic, originally in Apollo-Ridge’s section, was moved up to Class 3A under the PIAA’s competitive balance rule.

WPIAL runner-up in Class 2A, Serra Catholic, moved down to Class A.

“Obviously, its smaller schools and smaller teams who are right there with us competitively,” Mottley said. “I feel double-A is wide open. I am not saying we’re going to the Pete (Petersen Events Center), but I don’t see why we can’t be competitive with any team in Class 2A.”

Mottley said the girls benefitted from the work put in over the summer.

“Being a part of the Fox Chapel summer league helped us by getting to play bigger schools,” he said.

Then, in the transition to fall, a couple of the players who weren’t on the volleyball, girls soccer or cross country teams were in the gym for additional skills workouts.

“I told the girls that whether one girl was here or 20, I would be here ready to work with them,” Mottley said. “Those days, we got a lot of shots up. You could see that continued progression. I tried to keep it light until about five weeks ago to encourage the volleyball players to come out with the focus of just getting up a lot of shots. I know the girls will be in shape by the time the first games roll around.”

Mottley said he likes the way McClain has shown to be a vocal leader on and off the court.

“I am looking forward to seeing more of what she can do with her talent,” he said.

McCauley will miss the first few games of the regular season. She is expected to be cleared right before Christmas after completing her recovery from shoulder surgery in July.

She was able to play in all of the summer league games leading up to her surgery.

“It wasn’t going to get any worse before the surgery, so I was able to play through it. It was just about managing any pain and making sure I wore my brace,” she said.

The surgery and rehab for a torn labrum in her right should also caused her to miss her entire girls volleyball season this fall. Continuing to wear the brace, she has been on the court during preseason open gyms to keep up her conditioning.

“It will be a breath of fresh air,” said McCauley about her return to game action right before the start of section play. “It was hard to sit out the entire volleyball season. But coming back for basketball season, I am ready to go.”

Mottley said he loves McCauley’s fire as a player.

“She said she feels fine, but her doctor is erring on the side of caution, and that’s OK,” he said.

Senior guard Kyler Toland, a starter two years ago as a sophomore, is back with the team after not playing last year.

“We expect her to be an important piece for us,” Mottley said. “She comes from a basketball family. Her mom (Shane Bartha) was a 1,000-point scorer. I haven’t seen her play too much yet, but everyone at Apollo-Ridge speaks highly of her ability. I look forward to seeing what she brings to the table.”

Sophomore guard Arianna Hughley, Mottley said, has the potential to make an impact.

“She didn’t get a lot of opportunities to play last year, but she has developed into a nice shooter,” Mottley said. “She’s been putting in the work, and it’s showing.”

Mottley said freshman guard Maddison Hughley and freshman forward Mikayla Ditty are two others to watch develop in the early part of the season.

Apollo-Ridge opens the season Nov. 29 and 30 at the annual Leechburg Tip-Off Tournament.

Apollo-Ridge girls basketball at a glance

Coach: Raeven Mottley (first year)

Last year’s record: 8-14 (4-6 Section 3-3A)

Returning starters: Mya McClain (Jr., G), Josalin McCauley (Jr., F), Kylar Toland (Sr., G)

Top newcomers: Maddison Hughley (Fr., G), Mikayla Ditty (Fr., F)

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

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