ATHOL — At one point during the first practice of the season for the Athol girls basketball team, Geca Baptista watched a teammate pass up an open jumper during a drill.
Baptista immediately went up to her teammate and implored her to let the shot fly if it’s there.
“If you pass up an open shot, it’s just an opportunity to lose it,” Baptista said. “If you have the shot, take it.”
Playing with confidence is something the Red Raiders will need to do to return to the postseason after a two-year absence.
Athol will lean heavily on the athletic Haley Bigwood on both sides of the floor. Playing either shooting guard or small forward, Bigwood can use both hands to get to the rim.
“She’s my workhorse,” Athol coach Kelly Kaczmarczyk said. “She will do anything I ask her.”
Bigwood’s defense is good as well, but her aggression at times can send her to the bench.
“Sometimes she gets in foul trouble because she is working so hard,” Kaczmarczyk said. “There are reminders before games to work hard, but don’t reach in there. Keep your hands up.”
Athol’s last tournament appearance was 2016 when it lost in the first round to Mount Greylock. Last season the Red Raiders finished 3-16.
“Last year was pretty rough with communication,” Bigwood said. “I just want us all to work together. Looking at our schedule we think we have a shot at tournament.”
Athol’s roster has a lot of new players and the more experienced players are doing their best to acclimate them.
“We are all mentally strong,” Bigwood said. “The younger girls will catch up because some of them are very new to the sport. I think we will have a very successful season.”
Baptista is the point guard for the Red Raiders. The junior spent a lot of time during the offseason working on her jump shot.
“I’ve been working on it the whole year,” Baptista said. “Not just basketball season. I feel a lot better about it.”
Taylor Cleveland is another player to watch for the Red Raiders. Cleveland can do a lot of things well for Athol: rebounding, driving, shooting, scoring in the paint and defending the paint.
“She really understands the game of basketball,” Kaczmarczyk said. “I am really expecting a lot from her.”
There is still a lot of evaluation of younger players going on this early in the preseason.
“In the next couple days I am going to see more of what they can produce,” Kaczmarczyk said.
Kendall Deleo and Reily Polana are two players who could help the Red Raiders with hustle and their motor, according to Kaczmarczyk.
The Red Raiders play in the Franklin North with Greenfield, Frontier Regional, Hopkins Academy and Mahar.
The Red Raiders will opt to use a 3-2 zone to flood the 3-point line with defenders but defensive game plans will vary with scouting.
“In our league we have a lot of good shooting teams,” Kaczmarczyk said.
The Red Raiders have a scrimmage at Quabbin Regional, Friday at 5 p.m. They open the season Dec. 12 at Murdock.
