Beachwood enters the 2024-2025 season with a lot of promise to go along with its senior-laden squad.
The Bison roster includes five seniors and four returning starters.
“I am excited about the potential of this year’s team,” said third-year coach Don Readance. “Our numbers overall for the program have increased a lot. We have a big group of underclassmen—nine sophomores and 10 freshmen—but with five seniors including three returning starters, we should be able to utilize that mix to have a successful season.”
The Bison will lean heavily on double-double machine Goldi Aschkenasy this season.
The 6-foot senior forward was named second-team All-Chagrin Valley Conference Metro Division and third-team all-district after scoring 12.2 points per game last season to go along with her 8.8 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per contest.
“Goldi is a double-double every game and a player who can score inside and from the 3-point line as well,” Readance said. “Goldi is also one of the top shot blockers in the area.”
Senior guard Lexi Jaffe, a 5-foot-7-footer, returns to the starting lineup after scoring seven points with three rebounds per game last season.
“Lexi is a great competitor who plays hard every game,” Readance said. “Just a solid all-around player who can play the 1 or 2 but will likely play more time at the 2 this year.”
Londyn Travis and Marley Readance also are returning starters.
Travis is a 5-foot-7 senior forward who scored four points per game last season and Readance is a 5-foot-8 sophomore guard/forward who earned honorable mention All-CVC and all-district after scoring 4.1 points with 3.8 rebounds, 2.8 steals, and 2.4 assists per contest as a freshman.
“Londyn is a solid glue player for us with her ability to defend multiple positions, run the floor, and rebound,” Coach Readance said. “(Marley is) a top all-around athlete who’s able to make a difference in a variety of ways on the floor with her speed and quickness.”
Rounding out the projected starting lineup is 5-foot-3 freshman point guard Zoe Walters.
“Zoe is an exciting and dynamic player who will make an impact for us immediately in her freshman season,” Readance said.
Sophomore post Amaya Brown and senior guard Ana Shlachter will see key minutes for the Bison. Brown will help the Bison on the glass while Shlachter is reliable from behind the arc.
Coach Readance is confident he has the talent to compete this winter but he’s looking for his squad to become more consistent in all aspects of the game.
“We will be looking to get more consistent play on both ends of the floor this season and play with pace but also show patience on the offensive end,” he said. “Defensively, we will look to utilize our athletic backcourt–Jaffe, Readance, and Walters–in transition while also featuring our talented post player in Goldi Aschkenasy.”
Readance expects his squad to feel out its way early in the season, but growth is expected.
“We will likely go through some growing pains early on in the season starting a couple of talented underclassmen, dynamic freshman point guard Zoe Walters and returning starter, athletic sophomore wing Marley Readance, but with our other three senior starters adding their experience, we should be able to minimize that adjustment period,” he said.
