Lady Cougars’ Lee excited for season
Fans will have to excuse second-year Charleroi girls basketball coach Kevin Lee if he gets a little excited.
Usually a stoic person, Lee has most of his team back from a year ago and is still young as there are only two seniors who will see time.
“This group of juniors played a lot as freshman and some of them started as freshmen,” he said. “I would like to think that we can do pretty well.”
A pair of juniors, forward Kaitlyn Riley and point guard Aislyn Lee, enter their third season as starters, while junior guard/forward Maria Claybaugh, junior power forward Sierra Short, and senior guard Adrianna Gottheld enter their second.
Short would have been a three-year starter as well, but missed all of last year after suffering a season-ending injury.
Junior guard Maggie Albert also started games last season and will be in the rotation, as will sophomore forward Larissa Usher, freshmen Bella Skobel and Kate Wagner, and senior Mackenzie Skobel.
“Kaitlyn and Maria averaged double figures a year ago and I am excited to have Sierra back after she averaged double figures in points and rebounds as a freshman,” Lee said. “Maggie started half the season last year and it is like having another starter.”
Charleroi is in Section 2-AAA with Brownsville, East Allegheny, McGuffey, South Allegheny, South Side Beaver, and Waynesburg Central.
“We moved up and I don’t know a lot about most of the teams,” Lee said. “If we can stay healthy, considering our dearth of experience, we should be able to capitalize on that.
“I look to have a good year.”
What will help his team build on last year’s playoff win, the first for the program in over 20 years?
“We have to pick up from where we left off,” Lee said. “If we can use the momentum from the playoff win and if we can stay healthy, it will help us.
“We want to win the section title.”
Charleroi is hosting a tip-off tournament, playing rival Monessen on Friday, Dec. 9 at 6 p.m.