Pine-Richland girls, junior Madison Zavasky enjoying breakout season

By: Jerin Steele
Sunday, January 8, 2023 | 11:01 AM

Madison Zavasky made the tough decision to end her soccer career and put her full sports focus into basketball.

The returns on that investment have been high.

Zavasky, a junior, scored in double digits in each of Pine-Richland’s first eight games and averaged 20.5 points per game in that span.

It’s been a breakout start and one she is looking to carry into the new year.

“This was the first year that I didn’t play soccer in the fall,” Zavasky said. “I did extra training (for basketball), and I think that’s really paying off. My AAU team, Slaam, played some of the top teams in the country, and that really helped me step up my game this year.”

In the Rams’ first eight games, Zavasky put up 20 or more points five times, including a season-high 29 in a 55-46 nonsection win over Avonworth. She opened the season with a bang, scoring 27 in a 54-26 win against Moon.

Her scoring prowess helped the Rams to a 5-3 start heading into a Section 1-6A game with North Allegheny on Jan. 6, which was past the deadline for this edition.

Zavasky’s start hasn’t been a surprise to first-year Pine-Richland coach Gabby Baldasare.

She and the rest of the coaching staff could see Zavasky’s potential from the first day. They also saw traits that would make her a good leader and challenged her to embrace a leadership role.

“I’m super proud of how she’s playing, but I’m even more proud of how she’s become a leader,” Baldasare said. “She’s saying and doing the right things. The X’s and O’s will always figure themselves out, but the way she’s stepped up both with production and being a really good teammate has been really good to see.”

Zavasky comes from a basketball family. Her brother Nate played at Pine-Richland and her parents were both basketball players as well. Her mom played at Richland High School prior to the construction and renaming of Pine-Richland High School in the early 90s.

She credited part of her scoring success to an evolving and improving chemistry within the team on the court.

“We’re moving the ball around really well and getting to know each other as players better, which has helped us get better looks for shots,” Zavasky said. “We’re trying to change the culture with Pine-Richland girls basketball, and we’re taking great steps this year in doing that.”

Another cause for excitement has been the wins. Pine-Richland won only seven games each of the last two seasons, so nearing that mark and being competitive in the process has the team hungry for more.

“None of the girls on the team have had a winning season here, so to already have five wins this season is a positive thing to look at,” Zavasky said. “It makes us want to keep pushing and earn more section wins as we head into section play. We have a really tough section, but we’re getting prepared to play those tough teams.”

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer

Tags: Pine-Richland