With a relatively inexperienced roster, the Harrison girls basketball team came into the 2018-19 season with plenty of room for growth. And despite some early speed bumps, it looks as though the Huskies are finally beginning to elevate their play as league play heats up. On Jan. 10, Harrison nabbed its second win of the season, topping host Eastchester 56-32.
Harrison held a commanding 14-point lead heading into halftime, and unlike their Jan. 8 loss to Rye—which saw the Huskies outscored 29-19 in the second half— there was no let up as the visitors were able to cruise to a comfortable victory.
“We made shots,” Harrison head coach Louis Kail said. “This is a very young team trying to find their way and when they make shots early, that carries you through the game.”
Ashley Stagg led a balanced Huskies attack with a 12-point effort, but Kail was also impressed with the play of sophomore Olivia DeBald, who added 10 points and 10 rebounds.
According to the head coach, Debald should continue to thrive on the court as she becomes more comfortable with the speed of the varsity game.
“She has all the talent in the world, she just has to realize how good she can be,” Kail said. “She has a tremendous amount of raw talent and with a little more experience, with a little more confidence, she is going to play a big role for us.”
With the win, Harrison improved to 3-6 on the year, while the Eagles fell to 6-7. Eastchester will look to get back on track when they take on non-league foe Irvington on Jan. 14, while the Huskies will be back in action against Beacon on Jan. 15.
The Eagles and Huskies will face off again on Feb. 2, this time at Harrison High School.
Kail hopes that the win over Eastchester portends a change in his team’s fortunes, but remains adamant that the success of the season is dependent on the continued development of the team’s underclassmen.
“We’ve said from the beginning that this season isn’t about wins and losses, it’s about [taking] steps in the right direction,” he said. “And we’ve showed that when we defend, get out in transition and play with great effort, basketball is one of the most forgiving games you can play; you just can’t be afraid to make mistakes.”
