Dec 5, 2016 3 min read

Depth can be a nice problem to have for basketball coaches.

Just ask sixth-year Belle Vernon girls coach Lisa Fairman.

Her team returns seven players who started multiple games last season, and Fairman still isn’t set on a starting lineup.

“They all bring something different to the table,” Fairman said “It is good to have a deep rotation as we can put more pressure on when we want without having to worry about wearing ourselves out.

“Regardless of who starts, all of the girls support each other and it has led to our motto for the season in ‘All In.'”

After going 10-14 last year while playing in Section 4-AAA, Belle Vernon has moved up to Class 4-A this season following the PIAA’s expansion to six classifications in girls basketball. The Leopards are the only area team playing girls basketball in Class 4-A. They are in Section 3-AAAA along with Derry, Elizabeth Forward, Keystone Oaks, Mt. Pleasant, South Park, Southmoreland and Yough.

Junior Kelsey Green (10.6 points per game) led the Leopards in scoring, steals and assists as a sophomore and should improve on those numbers.

The other six players who started games last season are junior Caitlyn Trombley (8.6 ppg), senior Ashley Russell (7.3 ppg), junior Taylor Kovatch, junior Rylie Campbell, senior Caitlyn Szakal and junior Keira Boff.

Sophomore Lindsay Steeber will also be in the mix to start, which should make Belle Vernon one of the deepest teams in the section.

The team has made the playoffs in each of Fairman’s five years as head coach – Belle Vernon won a playoff game last season before losing to WPIAL runner-up Trinity – and to make it this year the Leopards will have to perform well in a good section.

“Our section is deep and will be competitive,” she said. “We don’t know a whole lot about some of the teams, but we know each night will be tough.

“It is difficult to label who the favorites are and I have told the team that we have to focus on ourselves,” she said. “We want to be a competitive team day in and day out on the court.”

When asked about what it will take to get her team to the playoffs, Fairman talked about the team’s staples.

“We have to play strong defense every game and rebound,” she said. “The tools are there to be successful, but we have to play hard and as one to have the best season possible.”

Belle Vernon opens the season Friday against Quigley Catholic in the Ambridge tournament.