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Prepping for Preps '21-22: West Catholic (Girls)

10/22/2021, 12:15pm EDT
By Missy Dougherty

Missy Dougherty (@missyingyou)

(Ed. Note: This story is the latest in CoBL’s “Prepping for Preps” series, which will take a look at many of the top high school programs in the region as part of our 2021-22 season preview coverage. As we publish more, the complete list of schools previewed will be found here.)

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Listen to West Catholic Prep girls basketball coach Messiah Reames talk about his team right now, and you might think you are in woodshop class rather than the gym.

“We have to strip it all the way down, and rebuild the foundation before we can think about adding any furniture,” explained Reames, as he tried to emphasize the building process that is going on with the Lady Burrs these days. 


Messiah Reames coaches West Catholic during the Kutztown shootout on Oct. 17, 2021. (Photo courtesy West Catholic)

Spend an hour in the gym in observation and you get up close look at what Reames is constructing piece-by-piece. Foundational principles such as cutting, spacing, and playing together are emphasized continually to a spirited group that is challenged daily to make each other better while choosing to be good.

It might seem weird to be talking about a full rebuilding project with a squad that is just seven months removed from winning the PIAA 3A state championship, but that is the situation Reames finds himself in as he takes over the reins of the program from Beulah Osueke.

Osueke proved to be a master architect, as she capped an eight-year stint on the West sidelines with the program’s first state title in 2021. The unforgettable journey under Osueke, which began with a 0-18 record in her first season, also included a 2020 Philadelphia Catholic League (PCL) title, and six PIAA district titles, before it ended last March in Hershey, with the Lady Burrs etching their names in the history books. 

Gone from that squad are all five starters, including three who took their talents to the next level in Destiny McPhaul (Temple), Ciani Montgomery (Lincoln), and Daziy Wilson (Labette Community College, Kan.). Yet, a handful of reserves and great memories remain.

So, does Reames talk about last year with the current edition of the Lady Burrs?

“We respect it, and we acknowledge it,” Reames said. “But, that is the past. While some of the girls were there and members of that championship team, they didn’t play major roles. Now, it’s their time to write their own story going forward.”

This latest version of the West Catholic basketball story will have a myriad of new characters as only seven players remain from last year’s roster of 13. Yet, Reames remains undaunted by the task at hand. 

A Philadelphia native, who was a three-time all-conference player at Cabrini University, Reames brings with him a wealth of coaching experience, including time on the sidelines at Hofstra University, Longwood University, and Harriton High School. The wisdom gleaned at the previous stops on his coaching journey has Reames prepared for the challenge that awaits at 46th and Chestnut. 

“I am excited to have the opportunity to be at West,” Reames said. “I get to coach a great group of young ladies in a program that knows success. I can be in the building and connect with the ladies and we get to compete in one of the most respected leagues in the country in the PCL. What is there not to love?”

There should be a lot to love from the West Catholic faithful about Reames’ team as he identifies grit and grind as hallmarks of his program. 


Senior guard Layla Reid (above) will be one of the Burrs' go-to players this season. (Photo courtesy West Catholic)

“Win or lose, teams need to know they will be in for a fight,” Reames said. “We are going to play hard. The standard has been set at West Catholic and there is no going back now. It’s up to us to want to match that standard, and ultimately want to surpass it. It’s our goal to become that team that no one wants to play against, and we want to develop that reputation initially within our own league.”

Reames identified his team’s strengths as its willingness to compete and being very detailed and fundamentally sound in execution. “We need to capitalize on our speed and athleticism and commit to boxing out to make up for our lack of size,” he said.

“We don’t have a lot of on-court experience because some of our players were sitting behind other talented players so getting experience and staying disciplined will be key,” continued Reames. “We can’t afford to get in foul trouble, with a roster that lacks depth, so we need to contain and contest.”

Needing leaders to help promote his message, Reames is counting on sisters Amina and Layla Reid to set the tone for the group. Amina Reid, a 5-5 junior guard, will direct the offense at the point, while Layla Reid, a 5-8 senior, is a slashing left-handed combo guard, bursting with athleticism. “They play really well together,” offered the first-year coach.

Both Layla and Amina are excited to be back playing. “We are happy to be able to have the opportunity to call the team ours,” Amina said, while Layla added “we know the mindset we need to have to be successful from what we experienced last year.” 


Junior guard Amina Reid pairs with her sister in the Burrs' backcourt. (Photo courtesy West Catholic)

The Reid sisters share the notion that there is much room to improve but not to count this group out in terms of the ability to make some noise in the conference. “We are still getting a feel for each other,” Amina said. “We are all talented players individually and just need to gel as a unit.”

Speaking of that unit, Reames also mentions senior guard/forward Amina Fowler, and junior Khadijah Thomas, a 6-2 junior transfer from Chester Charter, as players who will make an impact. 

“Fowler has a good outside shot but can also handle the ball,” Reames said. “Amina’s versatility, due to her size (5-9) will allow us to do a lot of things as she can play multiple positions. And Khadijah will give us much-needed size underneath.”

As the 2021-22 Lady Burrs get set to write “their story,” Reames, and his staff, continue the arduous work of building through fundamentals, knowing that the collective efforts of coaches and players alike will begin to pay dividends on the court. And while Reames focuses on helping his squad get a little better each day, he also has an eye to a long-term vision for the program. 

“I want to build a nationally-recognized program,” he said. “I aspire to be able to travel and play some really good teams. We have an amazing opportunity to first gauge ourselves against the great players and teams from the PCL, and we plan to put in the work to be up to that challenge.”


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