The Catasauqua girls’ basketball team should have a good indication in which direction its season is headed this year.

The Roughies began the year by splitting its first two games in the Tamaqua Girls’ Basketball Tournament, losing to the Blue Raiders in the championship game after beating East Stroudsburg South in the opening game.

The Roughies hosted Notre Dame in the first notch of the measuring stick, and they couldn’t get on track as they fell in a 64-19 defeat.

Junior Amaiya Johnson, a transfer from Bethlehem Catholic, led the team with 11 points. Johnson was among the team’s leading scorers in the first three games.

At the Tamaqua tournament, head coach Ed Seidick was pleased with his team’s opening win of the season and their overall performance. The Roughies had an incredible 91 possessions in 32 overall minutes.

In the championship game, the Roughies hung early, but they eventually fell in a 47-30 decision.

“We beat an East Penn Conference team and that says a lot for us,” he said. “We played a good game against East Stroudsburg South. It was a nice opening win for us.

“We ran into some trouble in the second game. Part of it could also have been fatigue we had the 90-minute bus rides back and forth over the short time in the two days.”

Seidick also noted the team is adjusting to a new starting lineup of Johnson, returnees Jade Biviano, Jackie Garner, Kenzie Bradley and other newcomer Ghia Moore. Senior J.J. Gillespie also has been a key contributor in the early going.

“The girls haven’t really played together that much and they are getting used to each other on the floor,” added Seidick. “J.J. (Gillespie) has been getting a lot of minutes and has done a great job for us.

“We were able to get all 14 girls in the game during our opener and we have been getting contributions from many girls. We believe we can get some good minutes for many of our girls.”

The Roughies began the move further down the measuring stick this week when they traveled to perennial Colonial League power Northwestern Wednesday but fell 57-18.

They then will host Southern Lehigh Friday but again fell 66-18. The Palmerton game Saturday was postponed before the team traveled to Saucon Valley and won on Monday.

Seidick is confident his team can make a legitimate run at districts this season after they finished with an overall 9-13 mark.

“We had Notre Dame scout us and other teams too, so we know we are on teams’ radar,” said Seidick. “We didn’t have that in the past two years. We have a possible tough stretch coming up. We will have a good feel of who we are.

“We had a good summer and a good start. The girls are very confident and we know we can have a solid season.”