With new mix of players, Hempfield girls up for challenge in tough 6A section

By: Andrew John
Saturday, November 16, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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In the first season under Bob Madison, the Hempfield girls basketball program started 7-2 but only won one game the rest of the season. The Spartans look to improve in Madison’s second season in a tough Section 2-6A.

Hempfield (8-14, 1-9) returns five players who started at various points last season as well as regaining a starter from two seasons ago and a transfer.

Senior guard Allison Cervola and senior forward Mia Shipman will return to the starting lineup. Cervola averaged 8 points last season, and Mia Shipman averaged 4.

Junior forward Gabby Coccia (4 ppg) and junior point guard Madalyn Pevarnik (4 ppg) also return as potential starters.

Junior guard Ava Shipman returns after missing last season because of an ACL injury. She averaged 5 points during her freshman season.

Junior guard Katarina DeVito also will look to make an impact.

Sophomore guard Reagan Fisher, a Greensburg Central Catholic transfer, looks to play a big role as well.

“She can really play,” Madison said. “She shoots the ball really well. She has really good court vision. She’s a basketball-only kid. I really think she’s going to be a really big piece to our team.”

With Ava Shipman coming back after missing a season and the transfer of Fisher, Madison hopes the newcomers make up for the graduation of guards Ashley Hosni and Sarah Podkul.

Senior guard Kennedy Nelson will miss this season after suffering an injury during the volleyball season.

Freshmen Lilly Houghtalen and Carina Rimel will look to earn some varsity minutes for Hempfield, which has 17 players on the roster.

“There are seven or eight girls that are more than capable of getting us 10, 12, 8 (points), in that ballpark every night,” Madison said. “When you add that all up, that puts you in a pretty good spot. We’ve really been talking about not being selfish with the ball, looking for that open girl and making the right decision as opposed to being worried about our numbers.

“With the group we have, I don’t foresee that being a problem. I really like the way we’ve been moving the ball in our practices. If we can stay in that mindset, we are going to be pretty hard to beat because you won’t be able to hone in on just one girl.”

Last season, Hempfield averaged 44.6 points and allowed 51.7. Madison hopes to make some minor changes to the base sets to better fit this season’s personnel.

“We really struggled scoring,” he said. “One or two games snowballed on us, and we got in our heads at times with the offense and shot making. If you go back to the film in those games, we were getting good looks but we weren’t just finishing. It’s going to be important to finish, make shots and take care of the basketball.

“I think if we improve with finishing and making some shots, we are going to be in a pretty good place. There is talent here. If they stay the course and believe in themselves a little bit, we will be in a good spot and compete.”

Hempfield’s section opponents include defending WPIAL Class 6A champion Norwin as well as Upper St. Clair, Mt. Lebanon, Canon-McMillan and Connellsville.

“(Class 6A) is no joke,” Madison said. “It’s going to be a grind. We are going to try to compete and play good competition outside of the section to prepare us for what we are going to see twice a week throughout January and February. These schools are established. They have good programs in place. They have good coaches. It’s tough, but we are up for the challenge.”

The Spartans tip their season off at 7 p.m. Dec. 3 at McKeesport.

Hempfield girls at a glance

Last year’s record: 8-14 (1-9 Section 1-6A)

Returning starters: Mia Shipman (Sr., F), Allison Cervola (Sr., G), Gabby Coccia (Jr., F), Madalyn Pevarnik (Jr., G)

Top newcomers: Reagan Fisher (So., G), Lilly Houghtalen (Fr., F), Carina Rimel (Fr., G)

Tags: Hempfield