If the maturation of a varsity basketball team requires the seasoning of several games, then Jim Thorpe took their first big step toward that goal Monday night with a convincing 56-35 win over Pleasant Valley.

Following a 29-point loss to defending district champion Minersville last Friday, the Olympians - playing with four new starters this year - took control of last night’s game in the second period and never looked back.

“We were kind of shell-shocked after the Minersville game,” said Jim Thorpe coach Nadia Gauronsky. “Tonight was a real confidence builder.”

Both teams had difficulty putting the ball in the basket in the first period. Senior Mackenzie Yuhas scored all of her team’s six points with a jumper in the paint, a put-back of her own shot, and a layup. The Bears had six turnovers in the first eight minutes and managed just two baskets, one from Seree Gaddist, and the other by Brooke Greene.

In the second period, Thorpe (1-1) began to pull away. A short jumper by Haley Smelas, a couple of free throws from Yuhas, and two three-pointers from Gabby Cinicola sparked a 10-0 run and sent the visitors into the locker room at the intermission with a 23-11 advantage.

Pleasant Valley coach Corinne Morris wanted more energy from her team, and that’s what she got at the start of the third period as the Bears nearly matched their first-half point total in the quarter, scoring 10 points.

“We picked up our heads in the second half,” said Morris. “I told the girls to not be afraid of making mistakes, and we played better offensively. But defensively, we committed too many fouls, and gave the them easy points from the line.”

Jim Thorpe also began to cash in on the height advantage it had in the second half.

“We set up Mackenzie in the post and worked on getting the ball to her,” said Gauronsky.

The strategy worked as Yuhas scored six points on an array of shots from down low, hitting on a layup, a left-handed hook, and a short banker off the glass. Another three from Cinicola and one from Smelas at the top of the key lengthened JT’s lead to 42-21 going into the final quarter.

“I could see the confidence in our play,” said Gauronsky. “We were taking and making good shots, and moving the ball to the open shooter.”

In the final period, Yuhas added eight more points to her game-high total of 25. The Bears (0-2) rallied to the basket with their best quarter, led by six points each from Katelyn Honadel and Ella Muir.

“I’m proud of our girls,” said Morris. “We only could play six players from our varsity team, and they played hard right to the end. But we have things to work on, including taking smarter shots.”

Gauronsky was pleased with the quick turnaround from opening night.

“It was just a great rebound from our last game when we played like deer in the headlights,” she said. “We were much better at shooting. We also used our height advantage with Mackenzie, Brianna Snisky and Amara Robinson underneath.”

In addition to Yuhas’ big night, Thorpe also received 10 points from Smelas. The Bears were paced by Greene with nine points, followed by Honadel and Muir who each tallied eight.

PLAGUED BY FOULS ... Pleasant Valley committed 19 fouls in the game, which resulted in 18 points from the charity stripe for Jim Thorpe. The Bears, on the other hand, scored just two points on four free throws.

ONE AND DONE ... The Olympians crashed the boards at both ends of the court, but were especially effective holding the Bears to just one shot from the floor for most of the game.

NEXT UP ... Thorpe will play its first home game of the season on Wednesday against Schuylkill Haven, while Pleasant Valley is at East Stroudsburg South tonight.

JIM THORPE

Yuhas 10-5-6-25, Smelas 3-2-2-10, Cinicola 3-0-0-9, Hartman 1-4-5-6, Robinson 0-5-6-5, Snisky 0-1-2-1, Ginopolas 0-0-0-0, Balliet 0-0-0-0, Ruff 0-0-0-0, Dart 0-0-0-0, Patton 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 17-18-25-56.

PLEASANT VALLEY

Greene 4-1-2-9, Hanadel 4-0-0-8, Muir 3-1-2-8, Gaddist 2-0-0-4, Rosenburg 1-0-0-3, Bawab 1-0-0-3. TOTALS: 15-2-4-35.

Jim Thorpe 6 17 19 14 - 56

Pleasant Valley 4 7 10 14 - 35

Three-pointers: Jim Thorpe - Cinicola 3, Smelas 2; Pleasant Valley - Muir 1, Rosenburg 1, Bawab 1.