City of Basketball Love

Jared Leveson (@jared_leveson)

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HOLLAND  – Basketball teaches its players a lot. 

Other than exercise and fun, basketball offers values, principles, and experiences that one will cherish forever. 

For everything that basketball provides, we have to remind ourselves to give back. 

Neshaminy’s girls basketball program takes pride in giving back to the game. Neshaminy juniors Lola Ibarrondo, Reese Zemitis and other varsity players volunteer their time by coaching clinics and running one-on-one workouts for Neshaminy’s younger players at the Neshaminy Academy of Basketball (NAB). 

“Watching them develop,” Ibarrondo said is her favorite part. “It makes me happy. It makes me feel like a role model around Neshaminy.” 

Neshaminy alumni like Brooke Mullin (Villanova) and Chris Arcidiacono (Villanova) come back to the NAB and run their clinics during the offseason, but Neshaminy’s girls’ program has especially gotten involved, helping develop Neshaminy’s K-8 girl basketball players into the next crop of talent. 

“It wasn't as big of a thing as when we were little,” Zemitis, who plays a stretch ‘4’ on the varsity team, added. “We didn't have as many girls.” 

“They look up to us and it's really cool to know that you are inspiring other girls and helping them get better, and eventually getting them to play basketball at the high school level as well.” 

Neshaminy’s JV coach Nick Reisig, the Athletic Director at Maple Points Middle School, and John McFadden, the Maple Points girls basketball coach are NAB’s co-founders.

They don’t hover over their players-turned trainers. They provide some drills, but otherwise let the players find their coaching style.

Ibarrondo and Zemitis, who led the way for Neshaminy in their 46-29 win over Council Rock South (2-1) on Tuesday night, have slowly adjusted to their occasional role as coach and mentor. 

“It can be hard sometimes,” the 5-foot-7 Ibarrondo said about coaching younger players. “Trying to figure out drills and stuff like that, but especially the little guards. I try to mimic my game, what I would want to work on. So, I do drills I would do.”

Zemitis, who has a number of Division I offers, has learned a lot by coaching and hopes to use her lessons and experiences as a guide for herself as she continues to develop as a player. She is even considering coaching in the future.   

“Coaching them has given me a better understanding of the game,” the 6-foot-1 junior said. “Like technique is very important and you kinda have to at a very young age learn how to be confident with the ball. That's the biggest thing in basketball.” 

“I enjoy it a lot. I’ve been playing since I was four years old. So it's just been a passion for a while and I can't see myself not doing something basketball related.”

The NAB, organized by Neshaminy employees and coaches, runs camps and clinics for students in the Neshaminy school district. The academy’s goal is meant to raise money for and serve as a pipeline for Neshaminy’s high school program, instilling concepts and core values that will eventually serve Neshaminy student-athletes when they play at the high school level. 

“It’s great,” Neshaminy’s second year head coach John Gallagher said. “I couldn’t be any more proud of the girls in Neshaminy that I come into contact with. Reese, obviously, Lola, Taylor Gurysh, Lindsay Little, and Jess Purdy, they work out the girls and the money that comes from that goes to the Neshaminy Academy Basketball.”

The funds generated by the girls’ one-on-one clinics went to purchasing a Dr. Dish + Rebel Shooting Machine that can be used free of charge for all Neshaminy basketball players. So, the girls’ volunteering has in turn benefitted themselves and the whole Neshaminy basketball community. 

“One of the things I wanted to do when I took over was build up the middle school programs.” Gallagher said about the NAB’s development. “It’s a very soccer and softball type of school, and I'm trying to make a mark to develop some basketball players out of there. Even if they are soccer players.” 

“I started running Saturday clinics, just by myself, and I gave it to him (Nick Reisig) and he just took off and has done incredible things. I'm really happy with the sixth, seventh, and eighth graders I’ve seen out there. So, hopefully we can build up a little pipeline.” 

Ibarrondo and Zemitis, and other players’ work with Neshaminy’s middle schoolers has made positive impacts on the young girls they train. The girls attend Neshaminy home games and support their trainers.

“It's been awesome because they show up to our games. They are our biggest fans.” Zemitis added. 

“I’ve gotten a lot of really good feedback from a lot of the parents of these seventh and eighth grade kids.” Gallagher said about the positive impact the girls’ program has had on the NAB. “I just got an email from Molly Beggs’ mom just saying how wonderful Reese was and how much she enjoyed it and that they’ve been coming out to games and supporting us.” 

Even though their game was away, making it harder for their young fans to attend, all of the NAB’s girl trainers contributed to their win over Council Rock South on Tuesday night. 

The game started slow for both squads with Neshaminy (2-2) leading at the half, 16-9. 

The Hawks grabbed eight offensive boards in the first half, keeping the game close. But Zemitis and Kutztown commit Gurysh, attacked the glass in the second half, combining for 17 rebounds (four offensive) which turned the game in Neshaminy’s favor.

“In the second half I tried getting to the net more because I wasn't open on the outside,” Zemiits said. “I really tried to attack the boards, get the fouls, and just get rebounds and kick out.”

Ibarrondo served as the floor general when things got chaotic for Neshaminy, controlling the game’s pace and making big shots and plays to stave off a Council Rock South comeback. 

The junior guard who is garnering interest from local Division II programs, totaled 17 points, four assists, and three steals 

“I think being aggressive definitely worked,” Ibarrondo added. “Definitely being patient on offense and going for rebounds was a big difference in the second half. It was not giving up offensive rebounds. That’s pretty much what won us the game.” 

Ibarrondo and Zemitis did all the fundamental things that any coach, and themselves, would preach to their players – move the ball, rebound, and play hard defense. 

They are going to need all of that and more when Neshaminy faces Catholic League opponent Lansdale Catholic (3-0) on Thursday. 

“We’re up for the challenge,” Gallagher said. “We just wanna try and improve our game day-to-day.”

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By Quarter

Neshaminy| 10 | 6 | 9 | 21 || 46

CR South | 6 | 3 | 9 | 11 || 29

Scoring

Neshaminy: Lola Ibarrondo 17, Reese Zemitis 10, Lindsay Little 9, Taylor Gurysh 6, Alena Cofield 4

Council Rock South: Kathryn O’Kane 6, Cam Gregory 6, Lil Metrick 5, Jess Mangoni 5, Fiona Reckner 2, Miranda Cautor 2