Girl basketball coach: 'I like our chances'

TEAM: Ashland girls basketball

LEAGUE: Tri-Valley League

COACH: Jon Kirby (1st year)

LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 15-6 (13-5)

STATS AND FACTS: Ashland made the state tournament for the third straight year last winter and bowed out in the first round of the Division 3 South sectional. The Clockers reached the sectional final three years ago. The team will miss Tri-Valley League MVP Blake Underhill, who is now playing for Manhattan College. But the Clockers return two TVL all-stars in senior captains Ilyza Holman and Natalie Leone, as well as 5-foot-11 Gywn Ivory, Meg Ianiro and Cailee Gazard. Leone, a two-year captain, and Ianiro have been on the varsity since their freshman years. Promising sophomores Lindsey Tolan and Cassidy Firth bolster the lineup. There are 21 players in the program, including 10 on varsity. Veteran TVL coach and former Medfield athletic director Jon Kirby returns to Ashland to replace Lisa Cropper as head coach of the program. Kirby was the Ashland boys varsity coach three decades ago. Former Ashland AD, girls basketball coach and longtime Framingham boys coach Smokey Moresi is back as an assistant coach. The JV coach is a first-year teacher, Brian Lahair.

THE OUTLOOK: Led by Leone, Kirby expects the Clockers will make a run at a fourth straight berth in the state tournament. The key for the team is health because depth is a concern. Defending TVL champion and perennial power Medfield will be formidable again and Hopkinton is another strong program in the league. Last winter Ashland tied Hopkinton and Holliston for second place in the TVL.

CAPTAINS: Natalie Leone (guard, Sr); Ilyza Holman (guard, Sr.); Cailee Gazard (forward, Sr.)

RETURNING STARTERS: Leone; Ivory; Holman

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Meg Ianiro (guard, Jr.); Gwyneth Ivory (center, Sr.); Cassidy Firth (forward-guard, So.); Lindsey Tolan (forward, So.); Haley Berthold (forward, Sr.); Maryssa DeBonee (forward, Sr.); Megan Russell (guard-forward, Fr.)

TEAM STRENGTHS: Senior leadership; overall talent of Leone

TEAM WEAKNESSES: Depth

Coach Kirby: "I like our chances of making the tournament. If we stay healthy, we can be very competitive. But we only have 10 kids suiting up and that makes me nervous. The numbers are an area of concern, but hopefully we?ll build the numbers back up. That will be a goal moving forward. There?s a lot to look forward to here. I?m very excited. One thing I promise is that the kids will have fun every day and enjoy the experience. I look forward to going to the gym every day. With this staff and the kids, it?s like a dream come true."

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Source: http://www.wickedlocal.com/ashland/news/x719502260/Basketball-coach-I-like-out-chances

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