Girls Basketball Preview: Near miss has Garnet Valley hungry for states progress

CONCORD >> Garnet Valley coach Joe Woods said the 2016-17 season is about continuing a tradition of championship basketball. The Jaguars are targeting a fourth consecutive Central League title. There’s one caveat, though. Despite their immense success last winter, the Jags feel as though they have some unfinished business. In the PIAA Class 4A quarterfinals, the Jags were seconds away from a major upset of Cardinal O’Hara. Instead, Garnet Valley lost on a questionable last-second foul call that enabled O’Hara to win the game from the free-throw line with no time left. GV’s season ended with a 26-6 record.

“We were excited to be there. Nobody really expected us to be there,” junior guard Nicole Barnes said at practice Wednesday. “We could have won. It was an amazing year. But I think we can go farther this year.”

That’s precisely the kind of talk Woods loves to hear from his players. They are not content with Central League dominance and a surprise appearance in the state quarterfinals. This team can reach even loftier heights. It’s never easy starting fresh. Everybody deals with losses to graduation, and the Jags know that replacing 1,000-point scorer and All-Delco Maddie Ireland may take time. Also gone is defensive and rebounding specialist Sam Tomasetti. Barnes, a tri-captain alongside seniors Sydney Fail and Kathryn Eckhoff, started at the point as a sophomore. She learned a lot from playing with Ireland, who is continuing her career at Widener.

“I know the point guard (role), they are the ones who run the game. From watching Mini (Maddie Ireland) and Jordan (Ireland, Maddie’s sister and 2015 graduate), they taught me how to be calm with the ball and to set the offense,” Barnes said. “It’s a lot to fill their shoes, but I’ve got to be calm because if I’m not calm, everyone else will be frantic.”

Fail and Eckhoff were ancillary players in years past, coming off the bench and lending minimal scoring contributions. Both players should see their playing time increase exponentially.

“It’s definitely more exciting this year,” Eckhoff said. “Especially having the chance to play in the first two quarters (whereas) last year we were going in at the end more.” “It’s exciting to have that chance to do more,” said Fail, who has committed to Ursinus. Eckhoff will play lacrosse at Ursinus.

Woods has a solid mix of veterans and underclassmen in his lineup. Sophomore forwards Emily McAteer, the team’s second-leading scorer last season, and Brianne Borcky were instrumental in helping the Jaguars in 2015-16. Both are primed to develop into complete players.

“I think having that experience from last year really helps us,” McAteer said.

Despite their youth, McAteer and Borcky are easily two of the most dynamic players in the Central League, capable of carrying the team on their shoulders.

“We’re in a position to help everyone,” Borcky said. “We want to do whatever we can make us a better team. But we’re still underclassmen and we have a lot to learn still.”

The Jaguars have the pieces to meet their standard of excellence, but they take nothing for granted.

“We don’t think that we’re just going to get there, that we’re just going to win,” McAteer said. “We have to work for it.”

That’s music to Woods’ ears.

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