SHORELINE — Seattle Prep caught a preview of what teams can expect from Shorecrest’s Jocelyn Riordan next season.
And that’s quite a bit, even when the junior guard is playing at less than 100 percent.
On the final possession of a June 15 summer league game against Prep at Spartan Gym, Riordan confidently drove the right baseline and drained a shot with two seconds left to give the Scots a 47-45 victory.
Riordan, the Scots’ second-leading scorer last year at 17 points per game, has battled strep throat and a stomach ailment in recent weeks, but she gutted it out to help her team win, even though it was only a summer league game. Riordan missed a few free throws earlier in the final quarter but when her team needed a basket she proved why she is now the clutch player for the Scots.
Riordan, a first team All-Western Conference South Division player, shared the limelight last year with backcourt mate Mary Tseng, also a first-team Wesco South player. Now that Tseng has graduated, Riordan, a team co-captain this year, is the primary option for the Scots’ offense. But she’ll need some help.
“We got to find scoring,” third-year coach Jon Rasmussen said. “We lost Mary Tseng’s (17.3) points. We got to see who wants to step up and become a scorer. And I’ve got some ideas but we’re playing them out and seeing how they go.”
The supporting cast includes two newcomers to the varsity, 5-foot-5 sophomore guard Caroline Towles and 5-7 sophomore guard Ashley Hagood. Inside, the Scots have 6-foot senior post and co-captain Molly Gibson. Also supplying some height are 5-9 senior forward Nicole Dodson, 5-10 senior wing/post Gina Adams and 5-11 senior post Donna Reisinger. Bailey Osborn, a 5-8 senior wing, and Aly Richards, a 5-7 guard/wing, round out the returnees.
“Everyone’s willing to work hard, everyone gets along well and we have some underclassmen that are coming up and stepping up in summer league,” Riordan said. “They didn’t really get a chance to play on varsity last year so we’ll see how they do this year.”
Said Rasmussen: “So far, I’m pleasantly surprised after three (summer league) games.”
“The thing my team’s got is athleticism,” he said. “I want to be more of a running team, a pressing team but that will come in time. We’ll work on that in the summer and hopefully by the time the season starts we can be more with it.”
“We really want to push the tempo in our game and keep teams on their heels,” Riordan said.
The Scots finished with a 13-5 record in the Wesco South last year and went 16-7 overall. Ferndale knocked the Scots out of the district playoffs.
“Last year at the end of the season we were all really comfortable with one another. It was fun to go out and play. But right now we’re trying to learn who can do what,” Gibson said.
“Last year the seniors were amazing and there was absolutely no drama on the team. It was such great chemistry with the players and now that they’ve left we have that same atmosphere around and trying to incorporate the new girls in it,” Gibson said.
The complexion of the 3A Northwest District has changed with several teams from Whatcom County changing classifications and perennial powerhouse Meadowdale dropping down to 3A.
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