Rider heads to Siena for weekend series
Every now and then there’s nothing like a road trip to spice things up and experience something different.
The Rider women’s basketball team is heading to Albany to face Siena for a couple days and the Broncs are looking forward to the change and the challenge.
It was supposed to be home to Niagara this weekend, but with the pandemic around this season no schedule is written in stone. So, instead they will head up the New York Thruway and face the Saints, who have had their own Covid issues having played only twice and not since Dec. 12.
Rider (1-10, 0-6 MAAC) will tip off with the Saints (0-2,-2 MAAC) at 1 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.
“This year we have been so used to just being ready for change,’’ said Rider coach Lynn Milligan. “It really doesn’t affect us much. I think the kids are just excited every time that we can play. It will our first long trip of the year and that will be good. It’ll help get the young kids used to that.’’
It is a very young team with Daija Moses, the lone senior, and against Fairfield last weekend the starting lineup was Moses, Amanda Mobley (junior), Maya Hyacienth, Victoria Toomey (sophomores) and Makayla Firebaugh (freshman).
So, it’s obvious the Broncs are struggling with a few growing pains. They are growing though.
“I feel like we are close,’’ said Milligan. “Manhattan and Fairfield were picked one and two in the league so we knew they are going to be tough. I feel we are improving and where we need to be. We just have keep reminding the kids what our process is and not get caught up in results and numbers, because it is easy to do.’’
Firebaugh leads the team in scoring averaging 9.9 points a game, with a team-high 17 from 3-point range. Point guard Amanda Mobley gets 7.6 points and has a team-high 18 assists. Moses averages 6.6 and has a team-high 16 steals. Raphaela Toussaint leads in rebounds with 4.7 a game.
Siena is led by Isis Young, who played three years at Trenton Catholic Academy. Young is averaging 16.0 a game and Rayshel Brown averages 13.5, Tobulayefa Watts grabs 10.5 rebounds a game.
“They have only played two games, but they are a veteran team,’’ Milligan said of the Saints. “They are a team that is still finding their way and they are a good team. Isis Young is a kid that can play and she has been a great leader for them.’’
This is a weekend that matches up well for the Broncs in many ways.
Firstly, on the court it should be a pair of contested games and off the court it’ll give this young team a chance to become even more cohesive.
“This is a group that wants to win and they understand that it takes a lot of hard work,’’ said Milligan.
Despite their youth this group has handled the off-the-court obstacles perfectly.
“The chemistry this team has just bodes so well for moving forward,’’ said Milligan. “It’s because of what they have built so far under these circumstances. Not having the time we usually have to bring the team together has been difficult, but to see how this team is so together is awesome. They really back each other up.’’