Girls basketball preview: A bumper crop of talent in the pipeline

“You should never have to rebuild.”

Those are words you rarely hear from a high school coach. To hold that mentality, you have to believe in what you’re doing. You have to believe in your craft.

When Dave Spinella said that following Wednesday night’s scrimmage against Longwood, it all began to make sense.

Why he puts 8th-graders on a varsity court, why he holds everyone accountable, why he never lets a moment of teaching pass by — it all makes sense.

This is how you build winners for years to come.

He puts in the time to scout the upcoming talent and gets them in a varsity uniform to learn at the highest level should he feel that they’re capable.

He knew Kim Ligon, Kate McCarney and Faith Johnson-DeSilvia had it in them. Last year’s 8th-graders took their bumps and bruises — it was expected. But this year, they return faster, smarter and stronger. What you see now is the earliest form of what will soon be known as the big three. Each can handle the ball and play point guard at any given time but all contribute in different ways.

Spinella saw this years ago. He knew that this group would be something special. And quite honestly, they’re producing before everyone thought they would.

Ligon, who sat out the scrimmage because of an ankle injury, breaks down defenses. Her strides made as an athlete were evident during the field hockey season. A crucial staple in the defensive unit, she helped the team win their first playoff game in 30 years. Her ability to drive and dish and play solid defense has had her on varsity since her 7th-grade year.

McCarney is the jump shooter. Spinella just wishes she would let it go more often. McCarney seemed hesitant to let shots fly against Longwood prompting Spinella to yell: “Pull the trigger, Kate! You have plenty of space!”

As soon as she started letting it go, points came in bunches and a underdog Riverhead team began to outplay one of the fastest teams in the county.

“It’s been two years now,” Spinella said. “I’ve constantly on her to release the ball. She’s just that good. She can be that good of a player. She just needs to have the confidence and she’ll be able to do what she does. She’s a big part of what we do.”

Johnson-DeSilvia was the last of the big three to make it to varsity but ended up starting by the end of the season last year. It’s clear the year on varsity made a difference. She looks better than ever. She can drive to the lane with ease, using her quickness as an advantage but can just as easily stop and pop a mid-range jumper. Her decision-making is instant and that’s what helps the team the most.

But none of this comes of surprise to Spinella. Each of them knows her role already. Spinella has drilled it into their heads since day one.

“We’ve got this group, the group after them and the group after them all lined up,” Spinella said.

He’s already brought up his next set of young players with the addition of freshman Ashley Colombus, who made it seem like shooting a jump shot was something she was just born to do, scoring 12 of the Blue Waves’ 15 points in one of the quarters. Eighth-graders Kristina Dunn and Angie Graziano also join the team.

All this mention of youth is not to overshadow the core of the team, the two girls who have the most court experience on the team. All-county forward Sam Dunn is no joke. Put her in a game and her impact is seen right away. Whether it’s grabbing a crucial rebound, dominating in the paint for points, or creating havoc on defense, Dunn is simply a star. Couple that with Dezarae Brown, who stands at 6’0 and plays harder than anyone on the court to get after loose balls and put back every missed opportunity, something special is brewing.

“They’re one of the best front courts I’ve ever had the pleasure of coaching,” Spinella said.

Amanda Baron and Joanna Messina will play key roles throughout the season coming off the bench to provide veteran minutes. Both are very capable defenders but can just as easily contribute on the offensive end.

Winning the league title is within the grasp of the Blue Waves this season. Spinella truly believes it.

“There’s no time for error,” Spinella said. “At this point, we have to produce out there. Our goal is to win the league. We took our lumps last year for a reason. Some of the other teams have come down a little bit, and we’re on our way up and I think if we play the way we’re capable of playing, there is no way we won’t be in the mix at the end.”

“Will we win it?” Spinella continued. “Time will tell. Do I think we can win it? Sure. Why not?”