Carter Heads Lady Tigers After Flaherty Moves on to Byram Hills
[Front l-r] Aiyanna Bannister, Madison Povemba, Nicolette Benevento, Catherine Amodio and Kennedi Leak. [Back row l-r] Assistant Coach John Bivas, Tayahni Bannister, Melanie Miller, Valarie Echeandia Royas, Sabrina Standard, Abigail Leone, Vanessa Chica, Julia Reggio, Rae-Anne Richards and new Head Coach Benjamin Carter. Albert Coqueran Photo
Flaherty turned around the Lady Tigers basketball program, while making the Section 1 Playoffs in 2015 in her second year at the helm. It was the first time the Lady Tigers made the Playoffs since 2011-12, when they were led by legendary Head Coach Sue Adams.
The Lady Tigers are led this year by Benjamin Carter, the former Alexander Hamilton Girls Head Basketball Coach. A well-known figure in local Girls High School hoops, Carter coached the Raiders since 2008 before joining the Tigers this year.
Carter led the Raiders to a 16-6 overall and 8-0 undefeated Section 1 3D Conference record last season, but lost to Haldane High School in the Section 1 Class C Championship at the Westchester County Center.
White Plains has had a fair start to their 2017-18 campaign, while adjusting to new leadership. The Lady Tigers opened the season competing in the Irvington Tournament. They beat Dobbs Ferry High School, 50-42, on Nov. 30, but lost to Irvington High School, 61-46, in the Championship Game.
On Dec. 5, The Lady Tigers opened their home season at WPHS, with their Home Opener against Fox Lane High School. The Lady Tigers showed resiliency by coming back from a 19-point deficit in the first quarter to outscore the Foxes, 13-7, in the third quarter and close the gap to within four points in the fourth quarter.
However the Foxes trio of Maria Violante (16 points), Natalie Pence (12 points) and Caitlin Lane (11 points) proved too much for the Lady Tigers, who lost their Home Opener, 49-41.
Senior forward Abigail Leone led the scoring for the Lady Tigers with 12 points, before fouling out with 28.4 seconds left in the game. Senior guard Valeria Echeandia Rojas displayed that she will be a force to be reckoned with on the court this season, while playing tenacious defense and scoring nine points in the game. Senior leader Madison Povemba also had eight points in the loss to the Foxes.
“I am pretty happy that we can rally like that and make a comeback but we need to start games off stronger so we do not have to make a comeback like that,” commented Leone.
The Lady Tigers are presently playing .500-basketball with a record of 2-2, after thrashing East Ramapo High School, 64-28, on Friday, Dec. 8. It was an efficient road victory for the Lady Tigers, which included an outstanding performance by senior guard Sabrina Standard, who scored 11 points, grabbed eight rebounds and snatched eight steals. Povemba also played tough, while scoring 11 points in the win.
“I am bringing something new to the team, as far as learning the transition flow, while keeping the ball moving,” explained Carter. “The team is starting to become familiar with it and beginning to understand how I want them to play. I think as time goes by we will get better,” said new WPHS Head Girls Basketball Coach Carter.
