BOB ETTINGER
ANDOVER TOWNSHIP — Geneva girls basketball coach Nancy Barbo has used her bench regularly all season. She made sure her reserves got just as much time and repetitions in practice as the starters.
After all, there would be a time when any one of them — or all of them — might be called upon in a crucial moment of an important game. That moment came Saturday against Kenston in the Division II district championship game.
And that preparation paid off in a big way. The reserves stepped in and filled key roles at key times and helped the Eagles to a 42-29 victory and the first berth in the regional tournament in team history.
“I think this group seems to be happy just getting it done,” Barbo said. “It doesn’t matter how many minutes they play or who is doing the scoring, they just want to get it done however it has to be done. It doesn’t matter, they’re just willing to do what they need to do.”
Sophomore guard Audra Puckrin, junior post Ashley Meaney, senior guard Suelen Gutierrez and freshman post Natalie Thomas all made key contributions, in more minutes than they usually play, to help get the Eagles past the Bombers.
“That’s really important,” starting post Taylor Webb said. “We’re all a team. We all make good contributions. We go hard at each other at practice. At any time, anyone can go in there and do the job they’re supposed to do. I’m proud of them for that.”
With starting post Natalie Stanley facing foul trouble, Meaney was called upon early and often. In essence, her usual role with the Eagles and Stanley’s were reversed. Gutierrez and Puckrin were called upon to give starting guards Carly Cash, Jillian Nazor and Courtney Thompson time to recuperate on the bench. Thomas had to step in late in the contest to give Meaney and Stanley a chance to rest.
“Coach puts a lot on our shoulders,” Meaney said. “At practice she says Taylor and Natalie are our bigs, but we have to be ready to go in the game. At any moment, there could be an injury or foul trouble. We have to be mentally ready before the game. We won’t get a lot of minutes, but maybe we will. We have to step up and fill somebody’s shoes.”
Those reserves credited their older teammates with helping them along the way.
“There are only two juniors on the team,” Meaney said. “We’re going to be the seniors next year. They talk and tell us this will be us next year. The leadership roles they play guide us. It’s helpful to the younger kids that are taught what they have to do next year.”
Meaney scored two points, had two rebounds and a steal and blocked three shots and Thomas scored a bucket.
“Natalie Thomas always looks shocked when she gets put in the game,” Barbo said.
“I have to admit, I was really nervous,” Thomas said. “I had to put the nerves aside and just play. I was just thinking that it was a normal game.”
And she did it all with a smile.
“Maybe it’s that I’m a freshman,” Thomas said. “I think I’m dressing and watching the game from a chair and letting the older girls do the work. I was really, really happy (to have scored). I’m glad I’m part of this team and I have a chance to do this.”
Gutierrez and Puckrin, used mostly on the defensive end, lived up to their responsibility of not letting any of the Kenston shooters get an open look.
“We work on defense in practice,” Puckrin said. “We have every chance to work. We knew we’d be in a situation like today and we were all prepared for it.”
“The starters are all depending on us not making any mistakes at all,” Gutierrez said. “We just have to be focused.
“It’s really hard (to go in without notice and perform at a top level). The five senior starters depend on us to not make mistakes and let the other team catch up. We have to keep it at the same level.
“We’re really, really proud. This is our moment right now.”
