Team captains lead in scoring, rebounds

Senior Hanna Olsen and junior Olivia Lombardo contributed to the Kittatinny Regional High School girls basketball team with their playing and leadership skills this season.

The team captains “are both very enthusiastic and positive leaders,’’ head coach Joshua Reed said. “They are great people on and off the court. They are both very strong leaders with always having the team’s best interest at heart. I am lucky to have them leading my team.”

Olsen led the team in scoring, with more than 200 points and more than 100 rebounds and 50 steals.

Lombardo led the team in rebounds (149) and assists (74).

Both are in Student Council and are leaders in their class.

Each improved her playing this season, the coach said.

“Both players are extremely key contributors to our team. While Hanna has always been an outstanding defender, Hanna has consistently improved her offensive game, always using her craftiness and moves to get to the basket and foul line. Also, Hanna has taken great ownership in being a voice for the team, always looking to help us do our best.

“Olivia has always been a very talented rebounder. She definitely has a knack for rebounding due to her heart and athletic sense. Coupled with that, Olivia has definitely sparked us many times this year with her scoring outside and in. Lastly, Olivia consistently looks for her teammates and has made some great passes this year.’’

Reed is proud of the ways that the captains communicate with their teammates.

“They are always consistently encouraging and carry the team’s best interest at heart,’’ he said. “Their teammates always feel like they are approachable, and I am happy they do because they have great experience and understanding of what a basketball season entails from years past.

“They look for opportunities to encourage and are passionate about the game of basketball. That resonates throughout our team.’’

Kittatinny’s overall record was 12-14 and the team finished 6-4 and in fourth place in the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference’s Colonial Division.

They advanced to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) North 1 Group 1 Sectional Tournament, where they were defeated, 47-43, by Cedar Grove on Thursday, Feb. 22.

“We also have had other key contributors this year: Taylor Hough is an extremely active defender and leads are team in steals. She has an incredibly bright future,’’ Reed said.

“Gianna Caruso has continued to improve throughout this season increasing her scoring, rebounding, assist, blocks average. She is having a great season and her future is bright.

“Reese Redden is undoubtedly our most improved player this season. Reese is a guard for us and does it all. She plays so incredibly hard and is extremely passionate about basketball. She has a very bright future.

“Holly Sajdak is an unbelievable defensive player and is incredibly reliable for our team. She is always in the right spot at the right time. She has a very bright future.

“Ella Teta is another guard that has improved so much over this past season. She is extremely passionate about basketball. She has a very bright future.

“Lina Hull is a very dynamic player who can handle the ball and score inside and out and she has a very bright future.’’

A student athlete not able to compete because of an injury also contributed to the team, he said. “Katie Sajdak is a sophomore and she poured into basketball all off-season but tore her ACL during soccer season. Despite her injury, Katie has been extremely important to the success of our team making her presence felt any way she can. She has an incredibly bright future and I know she is very excited to be back as soon as she can be.’’