By Ava Toner, ’22

Staff Writer

She shoots … She scores!!! The girls’ basketball team won the Patriot League Championship this season despite the uncertainty this year has presented. The tournament run, capped by a 50 – 43 win over Whitman- Hanson in the final, was a massive turnaround from last season when they got knocked out in the first round of playoffs. For junior Dani Tilden, the success could be attributed to “changing positions of starters this year” and “being more committed.” She was at the gym twice a day to shoot.  Mckalah Gaine, a junior, said the team’s increased “preparation before each game” and “drive because we all wanted to win” led to this season’s major success. 

Due to COVID, only minor details of game play were altered including no coin tosses, tipoffs or passing the ball in from underneath the hoop. However, the pandemic had a huge impact on the social impact of the sport. There were no team dinners or locker rooms and seats were assigned on the bus trips. But the girls managed to overcome these obstacles and still maintain a connection on the court, which became apparent as their games grew more competitive. Group chats and joking at practices helped the team bond, Gaine said. The girls’ commitment and teamwork was able to completely transform the squad from underdogs to champions. 

This season included a milestone for Coach Brian Fisher, who on Jan. 25 racked up his 200th career win. He and his father, Bob, have more than 860 wins between them.

Sadly, the team will be losing many key seniors, including captains Emily Flynn and Clare Connolly, but they are hopeful that they can adapt to their changing lineup and are excited to see what new talent will be coming next year.

Featured image: https://goccusports.com/news/2020/10/1/sun-belt-releases-mens-basketball-conference-schedule.aspx