City of Basketball Love

Sean Barnard (@Sean_Barnard1)
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The compact gym at West Catholic makes it feel as if you are on top of the court when watching a game. With the bleachers packed with fans making it difficult to hear your own thoughts. 

On the court down below, it’s the same way.

There aren't many high school basketball environments that compare.

“These are the moments you live for with a crowd like this,” Neumann-Goretti head coach Andrea Peterson said following a road PCL game at the Burrs on Tuesday. “You don't want a dead gym. Then it's kind of like you play down a level but when you got to a gym like this, I think it amps us up a notch and we were ready to go.”

Peterson’s squad is led by two young guards who came prepared for battle in rowdy enemy territory on Tuesday night.

Sophomore Carryn Easley scored a career-high 32 points and classmate Amya Scott added another 16 points as Neumann-Goretti cruised to a 76-51 victory over the host Burrs. 

The two sophomore guards have become the lifeblood of Neumann-Goretti this season. Easley and Scott combined for 48 of the team’s 76 points (63.2%), and flashed some notable chemistry alongside each other. 

“I’ll take them over anybody, any day,” Peterson said of the sophomore duo. “I think they're two of the toughest kids. I think I got the best guards in Philly — both of them. So I’d go to war with them any day.”

The Saints (5-9, 2-1 PCL) jumped out to a nine-point lead after the first quarter and West Catholic (7-5, 1-3) was unable to ever cut the deficit.

Easley stole the show for the Saints. She was an efficient 10-for-14 from the field overall and also connected on seven of her eight free-throw attempts during a career night. She added five assists and four rebounds, making it a complete performance for her team.

“I think I did good being a leader on the court,” Easley said. “Keeping the team together and scoring for us.”

Neumann-Goretti forced 18 turnovers in the matchup while only giving it away nine times itself. Seven of the forced turnovers came in the first quarter, which were vital to building the lead. This ability to wreak havoc on the defensive side of the ball is a pillar for the Saints’ success. 

At the heart of the defensive pressure was Scott. She added five steals, five assists and two rebounds to go with her 16 points. 

The scrappy point guard was unbothered by the intense atmosphere and went as far as to shush the rowdy opposing fans after a first-quarter made free throw. Scott’s hard-nosed style of play was infectious too and her calming presence on the court was vital to the team’s success. 

“It's something we preach, something we try to instill in them,” Peterson said of her team’s defense. “Defense turns into offense, if we can get those steals and get those rips, we'll be able to get out in transition and score two points. They're easy buckets.”

Amirah Hackney is one of only two seniors on the N-G roster. She added five points and three rebounds in the win. Sanej Tyler, the lone other senior, also scored 11 points along with five rebounds of her own. 

Hackney, Scott and Easley are the Saints’ captains. Peterson credited their growth as leaders for a major reason for the team’s success. She believes it is as impactful as their on-court growth and is excited by the progress that is seen every day. 

“I kind of challenged my group today with our leadership,” Peterson said. “Kind of put it on the shoulders of our two sophomores, Carryn (Easley) and Maya (Scott), and then our senior Amirah (Hackney). They’re our three captains, and I told them there comes a point where our captains are what holds us together. If you three can do the right thing and let these younger guys follow, it's all going to come into play.”

It has not been the exact season the Saints have wanted. A challenging stretch of games in several showcase events contributed to a 1-8 start to their 2022-23 campaign. They’ve rallied with three wins in their last four games and find themselves in a good spot at 2-1 in conference play and are taking pride in their growth throughout the season. 

They will be put to the test in upcoming conference play as they are set to face off with Conwell-Egan Catholic (7-7) on Thursday before a stretch of games against, Archbishop Ryan (4-8), Little Flower (5-6) and league power Archbishop Wood (9-3) on Jan. 31. 

With the team beginning to hit its stride, a season turnaround is still well within reach. At the heart of Neuman-Goretti’s chances, both this year and moving forward, will be the play of the sophomore duo. As seen on Tuesday, they are growing in the exact way the team needs both on the court and with their intangibles. 

“What they did today is they took over as leaders,” Peterson said. “So by the time they get to be juniors and seniors they might take over the Catholic League.”

By Quarter:

Neumann-Goretti: 18 | 21 | 20 | 17 || 76

West Catholic: 9 | 15 | 17 | 10 || 51

Shooting:

Neumann-Goretti: 27-55 FGA (10-24 3PA) 12-22 FTA

West Catholic: 18-38 FGA (3-11 3PA) 12-20 FTA

Scoring:

Neumann-Goretti: Easley 32, Scott 16, Berry 15, Tyler 11, Hackney 5, Costen 2

West Catholic: Reid 13, Butler 10,  Moore 9, Farmer 8, Blake 6, Scott 3, Cothran 2