Future looks bright for Lady Gators
Roberto M. Esquivel/HeraldStandard.com
Geibel Catholic’s Amanda Hanabeck (4) looks to pass as Brittany Rulli (14) steps in to guard her.
Peyton McIntyre (3) looks to pass as she is guarded by Carolyn Hanabeck (22) during a recent Geibel Catholic practice.
Geibel Catholic girls basketball coach Shawn Holup.
Geibel Catholic Lady Gators basketball coach Shawn Holup takes over the program from Pat Klocek and hopes to guide the Lady Gators into the playoffs again.
“We’re very young, but I think we have a very good future,” Holup said.
“Of the 14 girls we have on the team, seven are freshmen. They are raw, but very athletic and I think they are improving.”
The Lady Gators will return only two seniors in Carolyn Hannabeck and Brittany Rulli. Both are expected to start in the forward positions this year.
Holup says he wants to be able to play to the Lady Gators’ strengths. One of those is home court advantage in “The Swamp.”
“We are working very hard to improve our overall skill level,” he said. “I would like to put in a pressing system to take advantage of our smaller court.”
Holup is a former Gator basketball player and remembers how uncomfortable teams would get trying to adjust to the dimensions and the closeness of the crowd.
“I think these kids are athletic enough to allow us to get back to that atmosphere to some degree,” he said. “Right now the main focus is working on dribbling and shooting because the girls are so raw.”
Holup said the seniors have bought into what he and assistant Lena Bennincase are trying to do. He pointed out sophomore guard Haley Hutchinson is showing a lot of improvement from last year.
Holup said junior guard Peyton McIntyre might be one of the best all-around athletes on the team. In addition to basketball, she ran cross-country and played volleyball in the fall.
“Peyton is into a little bit of everything at this school and is a very sharp girl,” Holup said. “I think she is really beginning to make some strides. She is going to get the first look at running the team from the point guard position.”
Holup said getting seven freshmen this year was a pleasant surprise because the Lady Gators did not have a middle school program last year. He said that is something that has been re-established and the numbers are good, with some girls showing some potential to help the program in a couple of years.
Holup said that looking at the competition in Section 4-A, the Lady Gators could surprise some people.
“We owe it to our seniors to do everything we can to win games this year,” he said. “Behind Monessen and Serra Catholic, I think the section will be a toss-up for the other two playoff spots.”
Holup says he hopes to have a long run with the Lady Gators and thinks more girls are looking to Geibel Catholic for an opportunity to play basketball.
“Kids are going to see some of the young talent we have and I think that is only going to help us down the line,” he said. “I’m trying to build this program the right way and that starts with the middle school program. When kids see that success, that is something that will attract them to the program.”