With four starters returning and players expected to get expanded roles, Pleasantville’s girls’ basketball squad will try to use an eight or nine-player rotation.

The Trojans went 10-11 in 2020-21, but they only used seven or sometimes six athletes as a part of their rotation. Pleasantville will be looking to use key bench players Azell Smith, Rayne Olson, and Ashlyn McConnell for expanded roles. As for who will replace Breanna Benge in the starting lineup, Coach Jeff Cook says that it will likely be Olson or Smith that will fill that final starting position.

“Rayne Olson open-enrolled here last year so she didn’t get to play until the last half of the season. One of the last JV games before she was going to become eligible, broke a finger and missed three more weeks. She didn’t really get to dress until the end of the year, so she has been working out with us and we are hoping that she is going to be able to help us. Azell Smith who played a lot for us at the end of the year last year definitely has an eye on that spot.”

Cook also states that the team needs to improve offensively in order to win more games, as the Trojans at times struggled to put 40 points on the scoreboard last season. Pleasantville opens the season Monday at home against the Eagles of Saydel.