By Chris Villani

The Nipmuc girls’ basketball team welcomed a strong contingent of newer players this winter, so head coach Missy Vanslette is happy to have four returners who all have significant varsity minutes under their belt.

“That group has been leading the way,” Vanslette said of her returners, juniors Maddie Fernandes, Kira DeBaggis, and Savannah Carr and senior Paige Anderson.

“We are going to rely on those four a lot to get the newcomers up to speed.”  

Fernandes returns as the Nipmuc point guard this winter. Vanslette described her as both a “great kid” and a “gym rat” who looks to set up her teammates for success on the court. The coach said DeBaggis is the team’s “battery.”

“We go as she goes,” Vanslette said. “She is a tough, hard-nosed, aggressive player who excels on defense, but her offensive game has also come a long way.”

Carr, like Fernandes, is a captain. She plays both guard and forward and will be filling the stat sheets for Nipmuc all season. She scored in double figures against Northbridge.

“She is skilled and can score in many ways,” Vanslette said. “Her shot has gotten much better.”

Anderson, the senior, is a strong post presence and one of the team’s most aggressive rebounders, her coach said.

In addition to the four returning players, sophomore Ailish Mitchell and freshman Sadia Daigle are looking to earn minutes and a spot in the Nipmuc starting lineup.

“They have been working hard in practice, and they are willing to learn and learn our style of play,” Vanslette said. “I think they are going to be strong contributors for us.”

Nipmuc’s goals are straightforward and similar to most teams: Vanslette wants her team to be better by the end of the season than it was at the start. Nipmuc also wants to compete in the Dual Valley Conference with the likes of Sutton and Hopedale, two of the traditionally strong squads in the DVC.

“I think we are going to cause some trouble for some teams,” Vanslette said. “We will be competitive.”

As always, staying healthy will be critical. And the roster will need to continue to gel.

“It will depend on the mix of the veterans and the newcomers,” Vanslette said. “But, if we reach our potential, we are going to have a successful season.”