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By MIKE MATHISON
TORONTO -- First-year girls' basketball coach Rusty Hodgkiss has 20 out for his Toronto Red Knights program.
"We're trying to create some excitement around the basketball program here, and we have a great group to do that with," he said. "The kids have great attitudes and a lot of positive energy. We're working really, really, hard every day."
The Red Knights are a youthful bunch, but have three seniors in Jazalynn Glenn, Serena Burkey and Crystal Ford, along with five juniors in Gina Fogle, Jenna Leasure, Sydney Taggart, Samantha Swearingen and Anna Holloway.
"It's been a struggle and a treat, building from the ground up," said Hodgkiss, who came over after a six-year stint as an assistant coach with the Madonna girls' team. "We've come in and changed everything on these kids, and they've done a terrific job picking up what has been a completely new system and terminology."
The youth comes from 10 sophomores in Jo'zaeyah Jordan, Bianca McDonald, Hollie Robinson, Shanna Reed, Sara Yarosz, Kiara Smith, Kaliyah McEwen, Mykalia Hale, Madisson Roach and Ashley Close, along with freshmen Ciera White and Isabelle Leasure.
The Red Knights won one game last season.
"We're hoping to be competitive with what looks like an awfully tough schedule," Hodgkiss said. "We're trying to convince them to close the book on their past so that it doesn't affect their present.
"We're as athletic of a team as I've been around, and how well we are able to harness and use that athleticism will determine how good we can be this year."