Entering his ninth season as head coach, Justin Marino has built an outstanding girls basketball program at Gateway. The Lady Panthers have averaged 20 wins a season over the last four years and have made four straight trips to regionals, including a 2024 Class 5A Final Four appearance.
Marino brings back an explosive team that should be poised to make another strong run.
“Our goals are always the same,” Marino noted. “Stay healthy and win championships. We have two high-level experienced seniors, a sophomore that is probably a state Top 5 player in that class and a dynamic freshman (D’Amore Troupe) who was the middle school county player of the year. We’re excited about the season ahead.”
The two senior leaders are reigning county Player of the Year and Justin’s daughter Alyssa Marino, and forward Evana Rivera. Alyssa averaged 18.3 points per game while dishing out seven assists; while Rivera was a force on both ends of the court, with 9.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.
Ashlynn Day the sophomore was a super freshman last season, averaging 22.6 points and 10.7 rebounds, scoring 20 or more nine times last season in her fourth varsity season, having started her seventh and eighth grade seasons at Life Christian Academy.
Gateway also returns Andrea Sauzo (8.9 ppg) and Jalissa Yarbrough (4.9 ppg). Graduating just one senior reserve, the Panthers return all five starters from the OBC championship team and adds Troupe to the lineup.
The Panthers opened the season with blowout victories over St. Cloud and Davenport before heading to the ENG Feast Week Thanksgiving Classic to take on Martin County and Sarasota. They are also in the Florida Prospects Christmas Classic and scheduled a Jan. 8 game at archrival Bishop Moore. By the February postseason, the Panthers should be a well-tested team.
A look around the rest of the county:
CELEBRATION (12-10 last season): Coach Kenyatta Long hopes her team will take another step with three veteran starters returning, senior Emma Zukowski and juniors Evelyn Juden (averages 18 points and 13 rebounds) and Ella Kolaric (13.2 ppg).
“We are looking for another season of growth,” Long said. “Our goal is to build winners on and off the court.”
HARMONY (13-9): Coach Paul Strauch believes he has an “excellent mix of senior players and young talent”. Senior leaders include Jayme Montanez (11.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg), Emerson Aslan (6.1 ppg, 5.8 rpg), Ellah Husbands (5.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg returning from injury) and Dali Velez (4.2 ppg) — all beginning their fourth year in the program. Five freshmen may see action as the Longhorns try to get back to the playoffs.
LIBERTY (2-14): First-year coach Domonique Traver has a big job in trying to build the Chargers program around veteran guard Christiana Mossey and center Jade Morris, with newcomers Genesis Rodriguez and Taisha Reynoso expected to make an impact.
“Our goal is simple, we want to compete and start winning games,” Tarver said. “Our players have been putting in the work, building chemistry and buying into our system. They are hungry, focused and determined to make this a statement season.”
OSCEOLA (6-18): First-year head coach John Wall hopes to return to the Kowboys to past success. Returning veterans include Jewelie Lazo (Jr./G), Katherine Sweet (Jr./F), and Lyrie Lanzo (So,/G) with newcomer freshman Jaelyn Longsworth.
“One of the biggest goals this upcoming season will be to compete in every game from beginning to end,” Wall said. “Practices have been very intense and full of energy, so we look forward to transition that same intensity and energy over to every game. A goal that we have is to finish the season at least .500.”
POINCIANA (5-13): Poinciana head coach John Carrasquillo will rely on returning starters Jaishiana Aguayo, Natalia Calderon, Jasmine Burgos for leadership this season and hopes Osceola transfer Keyanna Stanley will provide a boost.
“This new group seems to have a lot of chemistry,” Carrasquillo said. “Hopefully that will translate into becoming a more competitive team and improve our win total from a year ago.”
ST. CLOUD (19-9, Regional semifinalists): Every season under veteran coach Chad Ansbaugh seems to be the same. A deep run in the playoffs, the graduation of four or five key seniors … then a near-20 win season and another playoff appearance.
Whether the pattern continues remains to be seen, as St. Cloud graduated 88% of its points and 65% of its rebounding from last year. Ansbaugh’s top returners are a pair of reserves from last season in Elle Wetzel and Kamila Ruiz. Juniors Gio Hernandez and Gabby Santana and sophomore Juliana Thompson are expected to fill some of the void.
“We have a very inexperienced group that will be learning a new offense, defense and everything in between,” Ansbaugh said. “But it is a great group that appears very interested in learning and getting better.”
Although this team may be in total rebuild mode, the guess is Ansbaugh will have another good squad by year’s end and contend for another OBC and district title.
TOHOPEKALIGA (15-6): The only coach they’ve ever known, Jennifer Farrell started the program eight years ago and it’s finally bloomed, going 31-10 over the last two seasons with a district title and continue to continue to improve. Veterans Sanaa Charles (7.1 ppg, 9.1 rpg), Jamylah Williams (10.2 ppg) and sophomore Yanethzy Salamanca (5.8 ppg), return to lead the Lady Tigers; while transfer Amaya Reyes (Gateway) and foreign exchange student Mara Albert (Switzerland) should boost the lineup.
