Printer Friendly Version - Warriors’ Girls’ Hoops Ready to Bond, Build on Last Year’s Run

Lily Grow, a senior captain, is one of several players that return to the Warriors' girls’ basketball team after a 2021-2022 campaign that saw Valley vault deep in the Shoreline and state brackets. Photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Courier

Senior captain Abby Bradbury and the Valley Regional girls’ basketball team are ready to continue their momentum after a 22-win year that saw them reach the Shoreline Conference Tournament finals and Class M state semifinals. Photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Courier

On paper, the Valley Regional girls’ basketball team may return a tiny roster after a prominent campaign last winter, though the Warriors also welcome back a deep, well-rounded group that is more seasoned for the big stage.

Valley comes off a successful season in which it finished its regular season with a record of 17-3, including a mark of 13-3 in the Shoreline Conference.

After losing to East Hampton in the Shoreline Conference final, the Warriors won three games in the Class M State Tournament to advance to the semifinal round, where they took a defeat against eventual champion Holy Cross to finish at 22-5 overall. The length of the states run marked the Warriors’ deepest trek in the bracket since 1999.

While the squad may be small, with the entire program holding 10 players, Head Coach Jaimie Bickelhaupt noted that it only permits the Warriors being able to bond that much quicker–a key component to measuring their potential for this season.

“We had the girls write out their own goals, both individually and collectively, before the year began,” said Bickelhaupt. “Collectively, they want to win both the Shoreline Conference and state tournaments. They are hungry for wins and they can taste them. They have put in the time and effort, and they’ve put in time to build relationships off the court to help us on it. They enjoy each other’s presence. All of the girls want the same thing, and they will do what they need to do to achieve it.”

The lone four seniors for Valley have vaulted to the captain’s helm, shared by Abby Bradbury, Siena Schaller, Lily Grow, and Liz Allen. Bradbury earned All-State First Team and All-Shoreline Conference First Team honors for the Warriors after averaging

17.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.1 steals per game last year. Grow earned Second Team accolades for the Shoreline squad a season ago behind 11.5 points and 6.5 boards a night.

Additionally, they have their own unique backgrounds with the Warriors while bringing different but crucial intangibles to the table.

“Abby is a returning captain. She plays basketball year-round. She focuses on being the best she can and sets a great example with her work ethic,” said Coach Bickelhaupt. “Siena also plays all year long. I have seen her development and leadership grow. She’s taken the underclassmen under her wing. Lily Grow is a first-year captain; we lean on her for her vocal captainship. She is not afraid to speak her mind. Liz showed tremendous growth in her role last year. She began last year as a starter, then was out with COVID, did not return as a starter, but she accepted her role as sixth man.”

The Warriors will have further underclassmen support with Olivia Cunningham in the backcourt as a ball-handler, plus sophomore Regan Grow, who will look to emerge as a proficient presence in the paint, per Bickelhaupt.

“Olivia is so much stronger on the court with and without the ball. We are playing around with moving her to guard, as she is working on her handles and shots. She is excelling in her confidence and leadership. She is not afraid to speak her mind or explain how and why we do things,” Bickelhaupt said. “Regan showed tremendous potential last year. She is close to six feet tall with long arms. She has the defensive and rebounding skills we need, and we will look for her to post up versus smaller girls.”

Bickelhaupt, who is beginning her fourth season at the helm for Valley, will be assisted by newcomer Bryan Field and Amanda Baldwin, who is back for her second campaign on the bench.

Valley Regional is focusing on a pair of formidable Shoreline Conference clashes, including a title rematch with East Hampton. Moreso, an early-season holiday tournament the Warriors will host, can also be seen as a barometer for things to come.

“We have two big games right off the bat versus Cromwell and East Hampton,” said Bickelhaupt. “Cromwell has a core group of juniors and sophomores. East Hampton also has a great freshman class with a lot of numbers. We had great games with them last year, so we are looking forward to those games this year. As far as our out-of-conference schedule, we host Ledyard, Northwest Catholic, and Somers in a holiday tournament at home in December. Those games will be a good insight into what we need to work on.”