Photo Provided PICTURED IS the 2020-21 Martins Ferry girls basketball team. Front row, from left, are Ella McFarland, Kelsi Gillespie and Avery Marchbank. Middle row, from left, are Hunter Pollock, Lauren McFarland, Maria Clark, Allarah Jones and Eve Agnew. Back row, from left, are Trista Regis, Faith Smith, Danielle Lude, Maddie Clark, Lanee Matz, Sarah Shreve and Jordan Hughes.

MARTINS FERRY — When Dave Reasbeck returned to the bench as the head girls basketball coach at Martins Ferry, he didn’t mince words. He spoke openly that the pressure was on his team to “win something.”

Obviously, the Riders delivered. They claimed the OVAC Class 4A title and advanced to the district before bowing out to eventual state tourney qualifier Hiland.

However, when the Riders began practice in late October, several of the faces who played key roles on that squad last season are gone.

But, don’t feel sorry for Reasbeck because his cupboard is far from bare. And his expectations haven’t changed.

“Last year, the pressure was on because we had five or six seniors and if they didn’t win (something), they would have had very little to show for their careers,” Reasbeck said. “Now, we’re on more of a two-year plan. We don’t have a senior on the roster, but we still plan to be very good and compete.”

While it’s a two-year plan, the bridge season doesn’t mean a major dropoff is on the horizon.

“The expectations remain the same … we want to win,” Reasbeck said. “We don’t want to be like some programs that are good for two or three seasons and then irrelevant for five or six years. We want to be good every year.”

Though that’s the plan, Reasbeck is realistic enough to understand there will be some growing pains for his team, which returns just one starter in junior Maria Clark (5-7).

“If you’re going to get us, you better get us early because we have players coming and the players we have now just need to get their feet wet and understand the role they’re going to play,” Reasbeck said. “Some of the girls saw some time last year, but their role is changing. The lights and focus (of other teams) is now on them. When we figure out (those roles), we’ll be pretty good, but it could take us a while.”

Similar to all teams, the growth process was slowed because of a lack of a summer season because of the still ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Riders didn’t have a normal summer of work because of COVID-19. Basketball teams weren’t permitted to play against other teams, which led to the cancellation of summer leagues and shootouts.

“We’ve never been one of those teams to play 100 games in the summer,” Reasbeck said. “I’ve always wondered what a game on June 5 is going to do for us on Feb. 8? I’ve just never believed in playing a thousand summer games.”

They were permitted, however, to have open gyms and get individual skill work, which the Riders made use of.

“We got a lot of good work in, but really COVID was our second problem,” Reasbeck said. “We could work around that, but we couldn’t work around the volleyball net being up. I don’t think we got to go up and down as much as I would have liked, but we should be okay.”

Being that all of the players were in the system a season ago and the majority of those who will log crucial minutes this winter lettered, will help expedite matters.

On top of that, Reasbeck’s system which includes full-court defense and up-tempo play hasn’t — and won’t — change.

“We’re never going to change what we do, but the make up of this team is a little bit different because last year, we had two quick, relentless guards,” Reasbeck said. “We’re not as quick, but we’re physical this year and I like that. Plus, I really like how together this team is. We have five juniors, who are best friends, and play every sport together.”

Clark will be the Riders leader, coming off a season in which she averaged around 10 points a game. She’s an adept perimeter shooter and will look to expand her game by putting the ball on the floor.

“Maria started, but her role still changes because she was the fifth starter last season and now she’s going to be a focal point,” Reasbeck said. “I’d take 15 Maria Clarks on this team. She’s there and she’s with us. It’s not a rip on the other girls, but Maria just knows what we expect. The other girls really haven’t been in the fire yet, but they’ll get there.”

Taking the spot of the graduate Richella Spielvogel, who had some huge games, including the OVAC 4A title last winter, will be junior Allarah Jones (5-7).

“Losing Richella hurts, but Allarah leads me not to worry about that spot because she played good minutes last year and she’s a different type of player, but she’s more than capable of filling that spot,” Reasbeck said.

Freshman Danielle Lude (5-7) is expected to take over the point guard spot. Reasbeck is extremely high on her.

“She could very well be the next big thing we have (at Ferry),” Reasbeck said. “She reminds me of what we had when I was the coach the first time in (Jessica) Kinney. She’s going to be alright.”

Juniors Hunter Pollock (5-6) and Eve Agnew (5-5) are two players who Reasbeck calls “keys” for the Riders.

“The faster the lights come on for Hunter and Eve, the better we will be,” Reasbeck said. “If we have to wait on them to develop a little bit, we may struggle.”

Junior Lauren McFarland (5-7) is expected to be the top sub off the bench. Reasbeck also pointed toward junior Kelsi Gillespie (5-3) and freshman Ella McFarland (5-5) as players who could be in the varsity rotation.

Depth, however, isn’t a strength.

“There might be a game where we don’t sub because some of the players just aren’t ready,” Reasbeck said. “We must avoid foul trouble, injuries and quarantines, but those things are really no different for any team.”

The balance of the Riders roster includes: sophomore Trista Regis (5-6), sophomore Jordan Hughes (5-7), sophomore Avery Marchbank (5-5), freshman Maddie Clark (5-11), who recently moved to Ferry from California; freshman Lanee Matz (5-8), freshman Faith Smith (5-6) and freshman Sarah Shreve (5-5).

“We’re on the right path, but we have to learn to play hard,” Reasbeck said. “We just don’t know how to play hard, but when we figure that out, we’ll be alright. We have a tough schedule before Christmas and some of those teams are just better than we are right now. We have to keep battling early. We’re going to be good, but we have to stem the tide through the holidays. It’s just different when the (varsity) lights come on and your name is getting announced before the game.”

The Riders are scheduled to line up against an identical schedule as they faced in 2019-20. But, Reasbeck isn’t naive enough to think the schedule won’t have some sort of adjustments or changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am hopeful that we’re able to get all of our games in, but if not, we just have to take what we can,” Reasbeck said. “I’d be shocked if we play all 22 and I’d also be shocked if we don’t get a call at 1 p.m. on a game day that a team can’t play. We just have to handle those things as they come on a day-to-day basis.”

Reasbeck believes the fact that many of his players are softball players and saw their entire season wiped out in the spring will pay dividends. Quite simply, they’ve dealt with adversity.

“We won’t worry about it,” Reasbeck said. “We can only control what we can control. If we don’t play a game, we’ll just move on to the next night. All we can do is listen to the orders given to us by the governor, the OHSAA, the school, etc. I’ll do what they say. I have no say in it.”

Reasbeck’s coaching staff is exactly the same as a season ago. Working at the varsity level are Jerry Magistro, Rick Douglas and Dominique Jones.

The junior high coaches are Brian Best and Chas Call.