VOORHEESVILLE — John McClement, the Voorheesville girls’ basketball coach, is looking to play some games.

McClement said his team just needs to get on the court against another team to see how it is going to play this season.
"I like what I’m seeing so far," McClement said. "What we need right now is game experience. We’ve prepared well."

The Lady Blackbirds have had scrimmages but until Friday’s first game at the Academy of Holy Names, McClement hasn’t truly seen his team. And everybody is gunning for his team.
"It’s going to be tough," the coach said. "When you’re at the top or near the top for so long, you take everybody’s best shot. Everybody is coming after you and the kids have to understand that. It’s going to take a game where the other team is fired up to play you for them to understand that."

Voorheesville has been one of the top Class C and now Class B teams in Section II since the mid-1990’s. The Birds have won nine sectional titles — including eight in a row from 1995 to 2002 and they won again in 2004. The Lady Blackbirds also won state championships in 1998 and 2002.
"It’s to know," McClement said of his team. "The way we finished last year, we didn’t play our best game in the championship. We still had an opportunity to win. The kids that we have back understand that."

The Blackbirds lost in the Class B sectional final last year.

"Tough as always"

Returning from that team are seniors Amanda Markert, Laura Haskell, Jaimie Russell, and Brigit Feeney. Junior Jenna Massaroni is also returning to the varsity.

Newcomers include juniors Kara Zimmerman, Sara Belenchia, Brittney Holcomb, Alyssa Schultz, Kelly Larsen, and sophomore Brittany Vogel.
"You always need the newcomers to step up," McClement said. "They have to learn that it’s not junior-varsity anymore. They have to catch up to the speed of the game and get a feel for the game. The officiating is different. Everything changes. The better players can make adjustments the quickest."

Voorheesville has had a history of getting the most out of its younger players.
"Obviously, you rely on the underclassmen," McClement said. "You try to be senior driven, but we always have had underclassmen that could play and contribute."

The Blackbirds get right into league play with a game against rival Holy Names on Friday.
"The Colonial Council is tough as always," McClement said. "We always have goals of winning the Colonial Council, sectionals, and regionals. It’s a progression. Playing in the Colonial is tough and there is a new team in there in Broadalbin-Perth. That will make a difference."

The Birds got off to a slow start last year before playing their best basketball at the end of the year — until the sectional final.
"Last year, we just had a lot of distractions early on," McClement said. "We had some injuries and a tough schedule. We definitely overcame that. I thought we were playing our best basketball at the end of the season. The last game was not indicative of how we can play."

McClement expects to see leadership out of his seniors this winter.
"The seniors will be leading the way," he said. "They’ve been right there. I’ll be looking to the seniors for leadership. It’s fortunate to have, as long as I’ve been here, the experience factor. A lot of these kids have been through it all. They know what it’s like to make a great year. They’ve seen it and been a part of it.
"Two of the players on this year’s team had sisters playing on the team that won states," McClement added. "They lived it. It’s nice to start having sisters of players you’ve coached."

McClement also hopes that the players on this year’s team keep up the work effort of their predecessors.
"The key component is knowing the hard work that it took to get there," McClement said. "That goes all the way back to the early days of the run when Jack Adams was here. Those teams worked hard. No one worked harder than those successful teams. You can control how hard you work. You can’t control the bounce of the ball and the officiating. But you can control the hard work it takes to be successful."

After travelling to Albany to play Holy Names on Friday, the Blackbirds will host Lansingburgh on Tuesday and Mechanicville the following Friday.