One year after going 14-10 and earning a win in both playoff tournaments, the Valley Regional girls’ basketball squad is looking to improve upon last season’s performance with a vastly different squad. With the departure of three senior captains whose speed was integral to the Warriors’ game-plan, Head Coach Geoff Konstan and his team are aiming to adapt to a more methodical pace, while integrating some young talent this winter.

Coming into the preseason, Valley was missing three of its five starters due to injury. As the campaign got underway last week, Valley came away with a split of its first two games, even though the team was without junior point guard Sadie Konstan. In last week’s action, the Warriors dropped their first game against Coginchaug, 50-42, on Dec. 12, but then bounced back to notch a 34-29 win over East Hampton on Dec. 16.

Valley received solid performances from senior captain Carly Thompson and junior Alexis Finnerty in both matchups. In the East Hampton win, Finnerty and Thompson led the team in scoring with 12 points each. Against Coginchaug, Finnerty had 17 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists, while Thompson scored eight points to go with 14 boards and five assists.

Coach Konstan said his team’s defense was the deciding factor in the East Hampton victory. Once the Warriors switched off the zone they were running, their intensity picked up went they went to a man-to-man defense.

“In a low-scoring game, every basket was pretty big. We were down 9-4 in the first quarter. I called timeout and switched to man defense,” Konstan said. “We closed out the first half on a 14-5 run, and that let us go into halftime with a four-point lead. It was essentially the defense. We didn’t start the game with the intensity that you need. East Hampton always plays with tremendous intensity.”

East Hampton outscored the Warriors in the first quarter 12-10, but by halftime, Valley had taken an 18-14 lead on the strength of its defensive effort. The Warriors never relinquished that lead and essentially put the game away in the fourth quarter, when senior captain Paige Atkinson put her team up 32-25 by hitting a basket and the subsequent free throw. Atkinson had five points with 12 boards on the night.

“She had a monster game. The big thing was that we were winning 29-25, and she made a great move to the hoop, got fouled, the ball went in, and she made the free throw,” said Konstan of Atkinson. “That play made the score 32-25, and it was getting near the end. You never know in basketball, but I felt at that point that hoop sealed the win for us. Her rebounds were immense, as well as her presence in the paint. The intensity she brought was just phenomenal. It was the best game I’ve seen her play.”

Of course, Finnerty and Thompson were a big part of the victory by combining to score 24 of Valley’s 32 points. With Finnerty and Sadie Konstan playing outside for jumpers and Thompson hovering around the post, the Warriors have some options on offense this year.

“Sadie and Alexis are great from three-point range. We’re trying to get them open three-point looks. When Carly gets the ball eight feet from the basket one on one, she’s hard to stop getting the ball close in,” Said Konstan. “She’s had a big effect immediately. She’s too mobile for most post players, and then if there’s a guard on her, she can post up with her back to the basket. She knows the right thing to do at the right time.”

Senior captain Heidi Clark is another key player for Coach Konstan’s squad. Clark’s speed helps her slip past opposing defenders for a fast break.

“She’s very fast. She’s the only returning player where speed is a real attribute. We get a defensive rebound and she takes off,” Konstan said. “She had four points against East Hampton, and it was her getting out in the fast break. She helps us push the tempo offensively.”

Even in the loss against Coginchaug, Coach Konstan was encouraged by his team’s performance. Konstan felt the Warriors tired a bit in the third quarter, and that proved the difference in the loss.

“The biggest thing in that Coginichuag game was they have great three-point shooters. Going into the game, we knew we needed to take that away. They had one three in the first half. Then they made three in the third quarter alone. We didn’t give up another in the fourth,” he said. “I think we were getting a little tired. That was really the difference. With that said. I think Coginchaug and Cromwell will be the two top teams in the conference.”

The Warriors have seen steady improvement since Konstan took the helm. Konstan feels much of that has to do with quality players and their willingness to play as a cohesive unit, and he believes that trend can continue with a new-look roster this year.

“My first year, we didn’t qualify for postseason play. Last year, I thought just qualifying wasn’t good enough. We wanted to win a game in the tournament,” said Konstan. “This year, we have a new team and a whole new way of playing, but we should be good enough to improve on last year. Our goal is to get 13 regular-season wins. Then we want to finish top four in the conference to host a Shoreline Conference Tournament game.”

Konstan is in his third year with the Warriors and is assisted by JV coach Lauren Budney and assistant coach Allyson Pitney. The Warriors’ roster consists of senior captains Atkinson, Clark, and Thompson; juniors Annie Cooper, Finnerty, Heather Jones, Konstan, and Tiffani Turpin; and freshmen Addison Marchese and Alena Crosby.