Athlete of the Week: Witchella excelling for MAC-leading Blackhawks
As long as Oxford continues to excel this season in the Midstate Athletic Conference, junior forward Haley Witchella may never accumulate the type of statistics one would expect of a player with her abilities.
Witchella is putting up 14.4 points, 8.5 rebounds. 3.2 steals, 2.5 blocked shots, and shoots 49.1 percent from the field this season – all team-highs, and more than respectable statistics for any varsity basketball player. What makes those numbers more impressive is that she plays barely more than two-thirds of a game averaging 21.5 minutes per contest.
“I don’t know of any of the top scorers in our league that sit out that much,” said Oxford’s second-year head coach, Chris Palmer.
Witchella’s time off the court isn’t by necessity or that she does not merit more minutes on the court. Witchella is part of a special group of Blackhawks that has as much top-to-bottom talent as any Oxford club over the past decade. The Blackhawks are riding the role of front-runner after beating every MAC divisional opponent this season, and are in position to compete for their first league title in five years.
“Statistically, (Haley) may not have the most impressive numbers, but she is there when it matters most,” Palmer would say.
In winning eight straight games dating back to mid-December, a couple of times, Witchella’s presence was needed on the court a bit more than normal. In a win over Unatego, Witchella scored 17 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. Two games later, the Blackhawks stunned preseason league favorite Harpursville by 11 points. In that win, Witchella produced the type of game that could easily be her norm. All she did was score a season-high 19 points, pull down 12 boards, and block a season-high eight shots.
In Oxford’s three wins over the last two weeks, Witchella has played sparingly, yet still found time to score over 13 points a game. The 5-foot-11 Oxford hoopster is one of only two Chenango County girls to score in double figures in every game she has played this season, and that season-long consistency has earned Witchella our honor as Evening Sun/Smith Ford LLC Athlete of the Week.
“I think if you looked and broke down all the games where we played the good teams, I’m sure she would have excellent numbers,” Palmer said.
Witchella is also the hub of a tenacious Oxford defense that is perhaps the best in the MAC. The Blackhawks apply a good deal of ball pressure, and the guards are able to take a few more chances because they have Witchella to anchor the defense. “Haley has made a huge difference back there, and at any moment, she frees up others to gamble,” Palmer said. “Haley can also gamble a little bit because she knows her teammates are there to rotate into her spot. Haley’s a big presence back there. I don’t know if she’s the best shot blocker in our league, but she has to be among the top three.”
The numbers may say otherwise, but Witchella is probably the best individual rebounder as well. With her speed, size, and jumping ability, if she is in position to grab a rebound, she typically ends up with the ball. It’s that type of athletic ability that should lead to a college basketball career after her 2011 graduation.
“Haley’s athletic ability for a girl at this level is unbelievable,” Palmer said. “She is one of the players in our league whose play would translate to the STAC (Southern Tier Athletic Conference) level.
“I’m not sure where she will play (in college), but with her athletic ability and if she continues to improve her outside game...I think any coach would want a 5-foot-11 girl who can be the fastest girl on the court, can handle the ball, and does a lot of nice things.”
Witchella is putting up 14.4 points, 8.5 rebounds. 3.2 steals, 2.5 blocked shots, and shoots 49.1 percent from the field this season – all team-highs, and more than respectable statistics for any varsity basketball player. What makes those numbers more impressive is that she plays barely more than two-thirds of a game averaging 21.5 minutes per contest.
“I don’t know of any of the top scorers in our league that sit out that much,” said Oxford’s second-year head coach, Chris Palmer.
Witchella’s time off the court isn’t by necessity or that she does not merit more minutes on the court. Witchella is part of a special group of Blackhawks that has as much top-to-bottom talent as any Oxford club over the past decade. The Blackhawks are riding the role of front-runner after beating every MAC divisional opponent this season, and are in position to compete for their first league title in five years.
“Statistically, (Haley) may not have the most impressive numbers, but she is there when it matters most,” Palmer would say.
In winning eight straight games dating back to mid-December, a couple of times, Witchella’s presence was needed on the court a bit more than normal. In a win over Unatego, Witchella scored 17 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. Two games later, the Blackhawks stunned preseason league favorite Harpursville by 11 points. In that win, Witchella produced the type of game that could easily be her norm. All she did was score a season-high 19 points, pull down 12 boards, and block a season-high eight shots.
In Oxford’s three wins over the last two weeks, Witchella has played sparingly, yet still found time to score over 13 points a game. The 5-foot-11 Oxford hoopster is one of only two Chenango County girls to score in double figures in every game she has played this season, and that season-long consistency has earned Witchella our honor as Evening Sun/Smith Ford LLC Athlete of the Week.
“I think if you looked and broke down all the games where we played the good teams, I’m sure she would have excellent numbers,” Palmer said.
Witchella is also the hub of a tenacious Oxford defense that is perhaps the best in the MAC. The Blackhawks apply a good deal of ball pressure, and the guards are able to take a few more chances because they have Witchella to anchor the defense. “Haley has made a huge difference back there, and at any moment, she frees up others to gamble,” Palmer said. “Haley can also gamble a little bit because she knows her teammates are there to rotate into her spot. Haley’s a big presence back there. I don’t know if she’s the best shot blocker in our league, but she has to be among the top three.”
The numbers may say otherwise, but Witchella is probably the best individual rebounder as well. With her speed, size, and jumping ability, if she is in position to grab a rebound, she typically ends up with the ball. It’s that type of athletic ability that should lead to a college basketball career after her 2011 graduation.
“Haley’s athletic ability for a girl at this level is unbelievable,” Palmer said. “She is one of the players in our league whose play would translate to the STAC (Southern Tier Athletic Conference) level.
“I’m not sure where she will play (in college), but with her athletic ability and if she continues to improve her outside game...I think any coach would want a 5-foot-11 girl who can be the fastest girl on the court, can handle the ball, and does a lot of nice things.”
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