PIAA Class A state girls basketball playoffs: Morrisville vs. Old Forge
Memorable year for Morrisville
Morrisville High School girls basketball
Bill Fraser / Staff Photographer Morrisville girls basketball players (from left) Kievanna Lacey, Cassandra Martinez, Casandra Gainey, Katherine Brown, Michelle Evans and Shalay Johnson pose on the court before practice on Tuesday.
Posted: Thursday, March 8, 2012 12:00 am | Updated: 6:31 am, Thu Mar 8, 2012.
MORRISVILLE — After an early season four-point defeat to Conwell-Egan, Morrisville’s girls basketball team made a fascinating discovery:
Suddenly, the Bulldogs couldn’t lose.
They reeled off 22 wins in a row. They stormed to the Bicentennial Athletic League regular-season championship, going 16-0, the first BAL Constitution Division team to go 16-0 since 1980.
“Once we got on that winning streak, it was like a dream come true for all of us,” said senior captain Kievanna Lacey, the Bulldogs’ all-around point guard and a two-time BAL Player of the Year. “Because we all worked so hard for it.”
Along the way, the Bulldogs became the talk of their small town. They made a Class A school more than a blip on the Bucks County sports radar screen. More people started coming to Morrisville’s old, cozy gym to watch coach Dave Howell’s tenacious girls full-court press teams into flurries of turnovers, to see them run teams out of the gym with their fast break and relentless hustle.
In reaching the District One Class A final and qualifying for the state tournament for the first time since 1998, the Bulldogs, led by an all-senior starting five, made Morrisville girls basketball matter again, impacting the program and the community.
That’s a heady legacy, one that can sustain over time, even if their state tournament appearance ends up being short.
But starting with Saturday’s Class A state tournament opener against Old Forge (District Two champion, 17-6) at Marywood University in Scranton (5 p.m.), the Bulldogs (25-3) are determined to make a long run and cement that legacy.
Especially after a disappointing 39-32 district championship game loss to Delaware County Christian, a team they had beaten twice this season, and coming close on the heels of a BAL tourney title game loss to another larger-school BAL squad they had defeated already, Christopher Dock.
Cassandra Gainey, an athletic, aggressive forward and, with Lacey, a first-team all-conference selection, issues the challenge. And admirably does so with the small-town/big dreams chip on her shoulder.
“Now it’s time for us to get to the next level and be bigger, to let people know that Morrisville isn’t just a small town, because no one knows about our sports,” Gainey said. “For us to go as far as we have, and with states coming up, it’s a really big deal for us and it’s a great thing to be a part of.
“Not only has our coach been an inspiration to us to push us, but the fans also have a huge impact on us, because we’re not used to having people come. We‘re not just winning as a team, but our fans are, too. They’re winning with us.”
Howell, in his fifth year coaching at Morrisville, has diligently and impressively molded this team, giving it an identity with its press, traps and game-controlling defense in general. In 23 games, Morrisville opponents have scored fewer than 40 points.
“I never expected to go 16-0 in the BAL,” Howell said. “They’re a great bunch of kids to be around. We set goals and they worked hard to accomplish them, and they can use those as life skills as well.”
Along with Lacey — who averages 15 points, five rebounds and four steals and is getting Division III college attention — and Gainey, Michelle Evans, Katherine Brown and Casandra Martinez complete the starting unit. All can score, all play hard defensively.
Evans, like Lacey, is a crafty penetrator. They’ve been backcourt teammates since eighth grade. Brown does much of the unheralded dirty work — rebounding, setting screens, defending in physical traffic. Martinez performs similar duties and has improved as a scoring threat. Delila Mena provides energy and defense off the bench.
Lacey could see it all coming together with Morrisville putting together a 14-10 season last year.
“Each year, we’ve been getting better — our chemistry, determination, becoming more confident in ourselves,” she said. “We all have our moments; we’re good at sharing the ball. Our saying is ‘One heartbeat.’ “
This is a tough bunch, having fought through injuries and illnesses. In the district semifinals, Evans scored 12 points despite throwing up at halftime. Gainey had 11 with a stomach virus. Lacey played the fourth quarter with both of her contact lenses knocked out.
Brown has been a wonder coming off ACL surgery and continues to battle through knee pain. Evans has had shin splints, Martinez shin splints and a hip issue, Gainey a shoulder problem. Howell gives team trainer Amanda Snyder a ton of credit for keeping the girls on the court and adds, “This team continues to amaze me with their toughness and willingness to play through pain.”
The pain of the district final loss recedes now, and Morrisville dearly hopes to add the best chapter to its storybook season.
“As seniors, we don’t want our season to end,” Lacey says. “We want to go all the way.”
Suddenly, the Bulldogs couldn’t lose.
They reeled off 22 wins in a row. They stormed to the Bicentennial Athletic League regular-season championship, going 16-0, the first BAL Constitution Division team to go 16-0 since 1980.
“Once we got on that winning streak, it was like a dream come true for all of us,” said senior captain Kievanna Lacey, the Bulldogs’ all-around point guard and a two-time BAL Player of the Year. “Because we all worked so hard for it.”
Along the way, the Bulldogs became the talk of their small town. They made a Class A school more than a blip on the Bucks County sports radar screen. More people started coming to Morrisville’s old, cozy gym to watch coach Dave Howell’s tenacious girls full-court press teams into flurries of turnovers, to see them run teams out of the gym with their fast break and relentless hustle.
In reaching the District One Class A final and qualifying for the state tournament for the first time since 1998, the Bulldogs, led by an all-senior starting five, made Morrisville girls basketball matter again, impacting the program and the community.
That’s a heady legacy, one that can sustain over time, even if their state tournament appearance ends up being short.
But starting with Saturday’s Class A state tournament opener against Old Forge (District Two champion, 17-6) at Marywood University in Scranton (5 p.m.), the Bulldogs (25-3) are determined to make a long run and cement that legacy.
Especially after a disappointing 39-32 district championship game loss to Delaware County Christian, a team they had beaten twice this season, and coming close on the heels of a BAL tourney title game loss to another larger-school BAL squad they had defeated already, Christopher Dock.
Cassandra Gainey, an athletic, aggressive forward and, with Lacey, a first-team all-conference selection, issues the challenge. And admirably does so with the small-town/big dreams chip on her shoulder.
“Now it’s time for us to get to the next level and be bigger, to let people know that Morrisville isn’t just a small town, because no one knows about our sports,” Gainey said. “For us to go as far as we have, and with states coming up, it’s a really big deal for us and it’s a great thing to be a part of.
“Not only has our coach been an inspiration to us to push us, but the fans also have a huge impact on us, because we’re not used to having people come. We‘re not just winning as a team, but our fans are, too. They’re winning with us.”
Howell, in his fifth year coaching at Morrisville, has diligently and impressively molded this team, giving it an identity with its press, traps and game-controlling defense in general. In 23 games, Morrisville opponents have scored fewer than 40 points.
“I never expected to go 16-0 in the BAL,” Howell said. “They’re a great bunch of kids to be around. We set goals and they worked hard to accomplish them, and they can use those as life skills as well.”
Along with Lacey — who averages 15 points, five rebounds and four steals and is getting Division III college attention — and Gainey, Michelle Evans, Katherine Brown and Casandra Martinez complete the starting unit. All can score, all play hard defensively.
Evans, like Lacey, is a crafty penetrator. They’ve been backcourt teammates since eighth grade. Brown does much of the unheralded dirty work — rebounding, setting screens, defending in physical traffic. Martinez performs similar duties and has improved as a scoring threat. Delila Mena provides energy and defense off the bench.
Lacey could see it all coming together with Morrisville putting together a 14-10 season last year.
“Each year, we’ve been getting better — our chemistry, determination, becoming more confident in ourselves,” she said. “We all have our moments; we’re good at sharing the ball. Our saying is ‘One heartbeat.’ “
This is a tough bunch, having fought through injuries and illnesses. In the district semifinals, Evans scored 12 points despite throwing up at halftime. Gainey had 11 with a stomach virus. Lacey played the fourth quarter with both of her contact lenses knocked out.
Brown has been a wonder coming off ACL surgery and continues to battle through knee pain. Evans has had shin splints, Martinez shin splints and a hip issue, Gainey a shoulder problem. Howell gives team trainer Amanda Snyder a ton of credit for keeping the girls on the court and adds, “This team continues to amaze me with their toughness and willingness to play through pain.”
The pain of the district final loss recedes now, and Morrisville dearly hopes to add the best chapter to its storybook season.
“As seniors, we don’t want our season to end,” Lacey says. “We want to go all the way.”
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