They are young but are getting more ambitious every day.

As the St. Dominic girls’ basketball team continues to develop, the Saints are finding more success.

“We’ve made some nice progress,” said Saints coach Missy Bilodeau.

“Our rebounding has come along really well. Offensively, confidence in taking the ball to the hoop and reading the defense has improved. Also, they have the confidence in knowing that they can win.”

That’s a sign of significant progress for the Saints, which features six underclassmen that play regularly.

“Our goal is to get to Augusta, and we’re just trying to get there one step at a time,” said sophomore Brittany Gilbert.

The Saints just missed that chance last year, losing a prelim game at Freeport. St. Dom’s lost three regulars from that squad, including most of their scoring and experience. Still, the Saints are making strides toward a playoff spot. They were ranked 15th in the latest Western C Heal Points with three wins. The top 13 teams make the tournament field.

One thing the Saints have going for them is that the best is yet to come.

Though St. Dom’s lost to Traip 84-27 to start the season, they were much more competitive the second time around, losing 51-42. They also had a narrow win over Old Orchard Beach early in the year but had an easier time in a 39-32 win last week.

“We watch the mistakes and the good things that we do,” said Gilbert. “We just try to learn from our mistakes and know what kind of team we are. We need to know what level we can play at and play at that level.”

Gilbert, senior Ali Leveque and sophomore Malley O’Shea all started last year. Susan Navojosky and Carolyn Little are the only other seniors on the club.

Emily Goss is the only junior. Julie Vandermeulen, another sophomore starter, joins freshmen Hannah Beaulieu, Abby Gilbert and Katie Lyon in forming a strong future for the Saints.

“I’m excited,” said Bilodeau. “If they step out and they play … I still think their holding back a little.”

St. Dom’s will have a chance to prove themselves in the final weeks of the season. The Saints have a number of key matchups that could help determine their playoff future. They play Class B teams like Poland, Falmouth and Gray-New Gloucester and Class D contenders Waynflete and NYA. They also have a regular season finale with Sacopee Valley, one of the team’s they’re chasing in the standings.

“I think if you can play with Traip, you can really play with anybody,” said Bilodeau.

“I think it’s going to come down to rebounding and defense. I think if we do a good job and execute, there’s no reason why we can’t come out with a win.”

The way the Saints have been playing lately, St. Dom’s has all the reason to be optimistic about a strong finish.

“It’s fun when you start to understand that you can play well,” said Bilodeau. “I think they’re confidence is improving. They see the next few games as great potential to win. The wheels are turning now.”

Copy the Story Link