Shaler girls basketball focused on limiting turnovers

By: Josh Rizzo
Sunday, January 31, 2021 | 9:01 AM

Shaler girls basketball coach Cornelious Nesbit believes for the Titans to be successful, they need to value the ball and limit their opponents’ possessions.

Thus far, Shaler still is searching for a way to take care of the basketball.

Before the Titans’ squared off with North Hills last Thursday, Shaler was averaging 25 turnovers per game.

The Titans (2-7, 2-5) saw this trend torture them during a four-game losing streak, which included Section 1-6A losses to Butler and Pine-Richland.

“We want to be able to get the game into the fourth quarter where it’s a one- or two-possession basketball game,” Nesbit said. “We haven’t been able to get into the fourth quarter with that score to force the pressure on some of these teams and be able to rely on our defense. When you turn the ball over 25 times a game, you have to be perfect.”

Young teams are sometimes turnover-prone, and the Titans lean on underclassmen in key roles.

Freshman Hilary Quinn leads the team in scoring with an average of 7 points per game.

Sophomore Mackenzie Barr and senior Haley Sahr lead the team in rebounds, and sophomore Haley Kostorick leads the Titans in assists.

“We are playing a lot of young kids,” Nesbit said. “For some of them, it is their first time playing varsity basketball. They have new roles they are trying to figure out. Without an offseason, they haven’t been able to hone in on their new roles.”

Where the lack of experience has shown itself most is during the flow of games. Nesbit believes in the games they lost, there was a stretch in each during which the play was noticeably less consistent than other times.

With Shaler employing a more defensive-minded style, these stretches build deficits the Titans have a hard time overcoming.

“We have our moments in the games where we look good and we look bad,” Nesbit said. “What we are trying to get our young team to be is consistent. We want to try and find that middle ground of where we look really good and where we struggle.”

Nesbit believes the team will see progress as the year rolls on.

With the WPIAL employing an open playoff system this season, wins and losses don’t have a major impact on Shaler’s postseason hopes.

“The experience of playing in the games will help them,” Nesbit said. “Being able to get more practice time, understand the philosophy and rotations on defense will also help them. You gain that type of stuff through practice and games.”

Tags: Shaler