Ferri hoping to return Falcons to winning ways

Kevin Pomeroy, Sports Editor
Posted 12/11/14

For the third straight season, players in the Cranston West girls’ basketball program will hear a different voice in the huddle.

Russell Ferri hopes it’s a stabilizing one, for now and the …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Ferri hoping to return Falcons to winning ways

Posted

For the third straight season, players in the Cranston West girls’ basketball program will hear a different voice in the huddle.

Russell Ferri hopes it’s a stabilizing one, for now and the future.

Ferri takes over the Falcons as the third coach in as many seasons, replacing Rich Perrotta, who had previously replaced Marty Crowley.

He inherits a roster with a sizeable group of returners, while three impact freshmen are also joining the program. The result, he hopes, is the first step in an upward trend, one that puts West back on the map as a true contender.

“We’re trying to change the culture a little bit where we’re going to push the envelope offensively and defensively,” Ferri said. “We want to create a culture of consistency with our program.”

West has finished under .500 each of the last five years, and hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2000-01 season. Last year, the team took a step forward, going 8-10 before losing a heartbreaker 40-38 to Smithfield in the preliminary round of the Division I playoffs.

Ferri wants to build on that. A longtime AAU coach with both the RI Thunder and RI Breakers, Ferri isn’t short on experience. He’s never coached at the high school level, but has coached that age group, and his daughter – Rachel Ferri – is a former All-Stater for the Falcons and a current assistant coach at Rhode Island College.

Russell Ferri wasn’t necessarily looking to get into high school coaching, but when the West job opened, it was an opportunity he felt he had to take.

“The allure of Cranston West and having the opportunity to continue the program is something that is very important to me,” Ferri said.

In the short period of time that the Falcons have had to practice, Ferri has already been pleased with their attitude, work ethic and willingness to adjust to his style of play.

He plans to emphasize a fast-paced, running style, and his overall brand of basketball is undoubtedly different than what the team has run the past few years.

“They’re experience has been a big help,” Ferri said. “As we go through and they’re learning a new system, the good part is – and I give credit to coach Perrotta from last year – one of the things that the girls have been able to do is adapt to the new system that we’re putting in.”

Helping lead the way as the team adjusts is its group of four seniors, who are helping to carry the torch after the graduation of standouts Courtney Lambrese and Kristen Traficante, as well as a few others.

Those seniors are Lauren Salisbury, Gabby Sayaf, Tarah Okolowitcz and Brianna Caputo.

Salisbury has the most experience, as she was a key post player last year who will be playing mostly guard this season.

“She’s a quick guard,” Ferri said. “She has a real knack and an IQ for picking up things really fast, in a new system. She’s a leader on the court. She’s given us everything that we’re asking for. We’re going to count on Lauren a lot, especially on the defensive end.”

Sayaf is going to provide some versatility, as she’ll play a few different positions, and she’ll also be a useful shooter from beyond the arc. Okolowitcz played some last year off the bench and will be a weapon in transition.

Caputo will come off the bench and be a key member of the second unit.

“There is nobody tougher,” Ferri said. “She is instant energy, she is instant strength under the boards.”

Perhaps the most important player back in the fold for the Falcons is junior forward Erin Blake, who will be the team’s best option inside in what will likely be a four-guard lineup.

Blake had a big season a year ago, and with more experience this time around, should be a force on both ends of the court.

“Erin is a warrior,” Ferri said. “She’ll battle with everybody this year, but she’s not just a rebounding forward. Erin is going to put points on the board. We’re going to ask Erin to do a number of things, including increasing her range on her outside shot. She is going to be relied heavily on to kind of be that player that is going to get us the big rebounds.”

Running the point is sophomore Abby Sousa, who swung between varsity and JV last season and has already excelled in the early practices this year.

Off the bench, junior Katherine Dumas has some height and will be another option inside.

Then there are the freshmen. Marisha Cushman, MacKenzie Beyer and Katie Sleboda all will contribute on the varsity roster – while playing some JV too – and they all have different skill sets.

It may take a little while, but Ferri sees a bright future in that group.

“Once they get the speed of the game down, once they get the freshman yips out of the way, they’re going to be real contributors to our program,” Ferri said.

Sophomore Savannah Bissitt could get some time as well.

Joining Ferri on his coaching staff is longtime West assistant Dave Fontes, Jennifer Kennedy and Brenda Westberry.

They’ll be trying to compete in what is now an even tougher Division I landscape than in the past. The division has consolidated, as there are now just 10 teams, as compared to 15 last year. There are also no more sub-divisions, as it is just one big division.

There is also the addition of a girls’ state tournament this year to think about, which will be run just like the boys’ state tournament instituted in 2010. It’s a power-point based system, and the top 16 teams regardless of division will play in a March Madness type setting to crown an overall state champion.

Yet, that’s a long way off. West would certainly like to make some noise once the playoffs roll around, but for now its focused on itself.

The Falcons want to set the groundwork for overall and long term success.

“I think more than anything right now, I will say this – our goal is to show steady improvement throughout the year,” Ferri said. “By season’s end, nobody is going to want to play us.”

West will play at East on Thursday in an Injury Fund game at 7 p.m. before hosting South Kingstown Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here