Long-time East Union girls basketball coach Jim Agostini has been sidelined so far this season, but Friday night was his first game back after medical leave and the Lancers welcomed him back with a 62-19 running-clock non-league win over visiting Pitman at Dalben Center.
“Coach (Richard) Marsh and coach Travis (Gosney) have done an outstanding job,” Agostini said. “Coach Marsh could be a head coach anywhere in this district. He has had many opportunities, and I am lucky to have him here, especially with the way he and Travis Gosney have got this team going and off to the start that we are on.
“It made it really easy for me to come back. We’re just trying to do good things with this team right now.”
Four-year starter Taylor Snaer directed the attack for East Union (7-1), leading all scorers with 21 points and notching a double-double with 10 steals, five rebounds and five assists. In addition to spearheading the offense, her 10 steals helped the Lancers force 19 turnovers while holding the Pride (1-9) to just 19 points.
“As a team this whole week has been focused on defense,” Snaer said. “That was something I was focusing on tonight.
“So this whole week I feel like I stepped up on defense as did the whole team.”
While this is Snaer’s last year on the hardwood for East Union, there are three freshmen – Nylah Dyson, Ava Berrera and Shebra Rezaya — seeing considerable floor time for the Lancers.
“It’s exciting to have those three out here,” Agostini said. “But you have to be patient and kind of bring them along.
“We have Taylor (Snaer) and Trinidad (Forbing) helping to bring them along. We are just doing positive things as best as we can.”
Dyson led the freshman trio with 11 points, Rezaya chipped in 10 and Barrera (five points, two steals) hauled in 10 rebounds.
“It’s been big,” Dyson said of making the jump to varsity basketball from eighth grade. “But I have had some really good teammates that have made it easy on me and they have been fun to play with.
“It has been tough, but they make it all worth it.”
East Union’s Donnese Payne flirted with a double-double at nine points with 15 rebounds.
Kaitlyn Wu led Pitman with six points.
The Lancers host Pleasant Grove of Elk Grove on Monday at 7 p.m.
Junior varsity
East Union 37, Pitman 32
Bellah Crabb drained a 3-pointer with 16.7 seconds remaining in the game, just beating the shot clock, and Izzy Avalos added a free throw to help the Lancers to the thrilling come-from-behind win.
East Union trailed 24-18 at halftime and 30-29 after three quarters, limiting the Pride to two fourth-period points.
Crabb led the Lancers with 12 points. M.J. Simon added 10 points and Avalos eight.
