Strong Team Play Lifts Sparks To Title
Saturday, June 26, 2010 Tournaments
Gym Ray Challenge Website: The Saratoga Sparks 14-under division team came to Sunday's games at the GymRat Challenge tournament without its head coach as Tony Mingione missed the event for a family function, and without one of its better players, whose opts not to play in Sunday games due to religious reasons.
But those seeming handicaps did nothing to derail the championship run of the Saratoga Sparks, who used strong overall team play and a well-designed strategy to advance to Sunday night's championship contest of the 6th annual GymRat CHALLENGE for girls where it earned a 56-40 victory over the New York Gauchos.
Sydnie Rosales, who just finished her freshman year at Colonie High School, was named the age bracket's MVG (Most Valuable GymRat) for her strong overall game, her composure at the guard spot against difficult pressure defense, and for coming up big down the stretch by scoring five of her team's final nine points as the Sparks held off the Gauchos.
"This was a big deal for us to win in our home area," said Rosales. "A lot of people think there aren't good teams locally, but we wanted to prove we were a good team."
The Sparks showed just that with a strong display of team-oriented play throughout the event as 20-year old Serita Holland, who aspires to a career in coaching, took over the coaching reins on Sunday's second day of the tournament.
The team also overcame the loss of Cassie Broadhead of Scotia-Glenville H.S., who skips Sunday games for religious reasons.
"We've played other tournaments this year without her on Sundays ... we know she's not going to play on that day," said Holland. "It's not a big deal for us."
It probably didn't hurt the champions to see a relatively familiar foe in the championship game.
The Sparks matched up with the Gauchos in another tournament on the AAU circuit earlier this spring and knocked them off there too.
Sunday's play made it appear like the Sparks had a solid strategy for success again in the return meeting. They packed the lane defensively against a taller and more-athletic Gauchos team and, then, pushed the ball offensively at every opportunity. The result was that the Gauchos had to foul to stop the Sparks' fast-break drives to the basket, and the Gauchos wound up shooting 21 free throws (to 10 for the Gauchos). The Saratoga team made 16 of its 21 free-throw attempts.
"We felt pretty confident coming in because we had beaten them before," added Rosales. "And the way we played is the way we like to play. We like to run and push the ball, and that worked tonight."
Rosales said the tournament title was a little extra special coming on its home turf.
"It definitely is nice to win when you play in your home area," she added. "We love it when people we know can come out and watch us have success."
"This was a big deal for us to win in our home area," said Rosales. "A lot of people think there aren't good teams locally, but we wanted to prove we were a good team."
The Sparks showed just that with a strong display of team-oriented play throughout the event as 20-year old Serita Holland, who aspires to a career in coaching, took over the coaching reins on Sunday's second day of the tournament.
The team also overcame the loss of Cassie Broadhead of Scotia-Glenville H.S., who skips Sunday games for religious reasons.
"We've played other tournaments this year without her on Sundays ... we know she's not going to play on that day," said Holland. "It's not a big deal for us."
It probably didn't hurt the champions to see a relatively familiar foe in the championship game.
The Sparks matched up with the Gauchos in another tournament on the AAU circuit earlier this spring and knocked them off there too.
Sunday's play made it appear like the Sparks had a solid strategy for success again in the return meeting. They packed the lane defensively against a taller and more-athletic Gauchos team and, then, pushed the ball offensively at every opportunity. The result was that the Gauchos had to foul to stop the Sparks' fast-break drives to the basket, and the Gauchos wound up shooting 21 free throws (to 10 for the Gauchos). The Saratoga team made 16 of its 21 free-throw attempts.
"We felt pretty confident coming in because we had beaten them before," added Rosales. "And the way we played is the way we like to play. We like to run and push the ball, and that worked tonight."
Rosales said the tournament title was a little extra special coming on its home turf.
"It definitely is nice to win when you play in your home area," she added. "We love it when people we know can come out and watch us have success."