Scouting Elgin Academy girls basketball

Elgin Academy Hilltoppers

Coach: Greg Repede (1st season)

Conference: Independent School League

2009-10 record: 14-10 overall, regional champion

Top returning players: Senior Caitlin Ward (5-8, G-F), junior Ashley Barnes (5-6, G), sophomore Samayra Siddiqui (5-9, C)

Key newcomers: Seniors Julie Marathithada (5-0, G), Kacy Rauschenberger (5-6, F)

Outlook: Repede, who also coaches boys and girls tennis and has coached soccer in the past at the school, takes the controls of the girls basketball program this season (he's now coaching 3 sports). He's inherits a team that graduated standouts Alyssa Pena and Lauren Steinle, two of the top players to ever play girls basketball at the school. However, Ward and Barnes are experienced players. They will be the team captains this year. Marathithada was the team manager last year, but traded that post in for a uniform this season. Rauschenberger is a field hockey and soccer player by trade that Repede feels can pick up the game quickly. The team also has four freshmen on the roster.

"The attitudes and the willingness to learn has been great," said Repede. "They really work hard. We're not tall and we're not overly experienced, but we're working on some different thingsthings they haven't seen in past seasons. Things are coming together nicely." The Hilltoppers are currently playing in their own tournament and will play three games Saturday (Alden-Hebron, Seton Academy and then a placement game to close out the tournament). "We'll know a lot about what we need to work on by the end of the week," said Repede. The coach doesn't mind coaching three sports in the least bit. "I've got a nice situation at Elgin Academy," he said.