Ocean City Sophomore Grace Sacco Gets to the Point

Grace Sacco is one of those players who derive more satisfaction from distributing the basketball than scoring her own buckets. The Ocean City sophomore is the Red Raider floor leader for a club that has effectively handled league competition while also tangling with some very difficult out-of-conference schools.
“She really runs everything with her ability to handle the basketball,” said coach Paul Baruffi. “Everything for our team runs through her. I’ve had some strong point guards over the years and she, at such a young age, already possesses the ability and poise to handle the position.”
Ocean City split two contests with the Lauren Holden-led Caper-Tigers while also gaining valuable experience in matches against powerhouses such as Shabazz, Franklin, and Rancocas Valley. Baruffi schedules those contests because he knows they helped prepare his young squad for the rigors of this week’s annual Cape-Atlantic League Tournament and the soon-to-follow South Jersey playoffs.
“We’re really a young team and Grace has had a lot of weight on her shoulders,” said Baruffi. “We’ve gone up against some tough teams and it’s been a lot for her to take on. If you’re going to schedule teams like those you need a point guard like Grace.”
Sacco is a 5’ 4” honor student who grew up with hoops, softball and soccer in Margate. The daughter of Al and Nellie Sacco attended basketball camps every summer and competed with high-level AAU teams, iluding a national championship appearance with the Philadelphia Comet at Disney World as a seventh grader.
“Of all the sports, I always felt more confidence playing basketball,” said the 16-year-old. “I always liked basketball the most. I love calling plays, having some control, and getting other people involved.”
Baruffi can be a demanding coach and Sacco appreciates the drive and determination that has fueled a legacy of competitive hoops in Ocean City.
“When coach Baruffi is happy then we know we played well,” she said. “I feel best when I can make a pass underneath or a kick-out for an open jump shot. It’s about getting the girls involved more than my own scoring.”
For his part, Baruffi finds himself wishing his young point guard were sometimes a bit more selfish.
“She can also score the ball as well as distribute it,” he said. “She could use to be more selfish at times. She’ll look to pass firs, but she’s very capable of taking the ball all the way to the basket. She’s gotten better at doing more of that.”
So what makes such a young player, who started for the varsity as a freshman, such an effective presence on the court?
“She has a skill set and a confidence that most kids don’t have and that comes from training and working really hard,” said Baruffi. “She’s played high-level AAU against older girls for many years. She’s played against stiff competition and developed her confidence. Her basketball IQ is really high.”
Sacco, who plays forward for the Red Raider soccer team, wants to improve her defense and her jump shot.
“I’m at my best with passing and dribbling,” she noted. “I feel confident and comfortable in that, but I know what I have to work on to get better and help my team more.
Baruffi said Sacco comes to the bench area to ask him questions that reveal she’s already thinking ahead about what the team needs to do.
“She’s thinking about things that other players don’t see,” said the coach. “At times she gambles and it doesn’t pay off, but she’ll make plays and, as a coach, you’re just impressed with her ability to shake off the last one and get the next one. It’s mental toughness, an attribute you must have in sports and especially as a point guard.”