Scouting Leyden girls basketball

Leyden

Coach: Michele Szatko (third year)

Graduated players: Yocelin Dorado, Tashemia McKinney, Julie Bassmaji, Moira Quinlan, Angelica Rum, Zashi Vasquez

Returning players: Ashia Driver (5-9 Sr. G-F), Jeanine Hannoun (5-9 Sr. F)

Newcomers: Teena Rubright (5-7 Jr. G), Victoria Galizia (5-6 Jr. G), Barbara Fitol (5-8 Jr. G-F), Crystal Nguyen (5-7 Jr. G), Ruba Saleh (5-9 Sr. G-F), Stephanie Muralles (5-7 Jr. G), Silvia Vasquez (5-7 So. G), Kara Urbaniak (5-6 Jr. G), Josie Rojas (5-9 Sr G-F), Kathy Wojtulewicz (5-9 Jr. F), Andrea Genovesi (5-8 Sr. F)

Scouting report: Coach Michele Szatko, who played on Fenwick teams that finished first and third in the Class 2A tourney, starts her third season at Leyden with two returning players — seniors Driver and Hannoun (captain). “We are a very young team,” Szatko said. “Despite that, we are not lacking the intensity needed to be a successful basketball program. We are looking to continue with the program’s tradition of being aggressive on the defensive end. Our focus has been to use our defense to create more offense for us.” Hannoun received a lot of minutes last season and the Eagles expect her to use that experience to help lead the team. “She will be a strong presence for us in the paint, both on offense and defense,” Szatko said. Galizia will set the tempo on offense as the point guard. Nguyen and Wojtulewicz will be other key players. “We are looking to build off last season and continue to get more games in the win column,” Szatko said. “Last year’s group had some pretty high expectations and experienced some success. We are looking to continue to build upon what they started last year.”