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Masked Milewski makes a difference for Conwell-Egan

01/30/2023, 11:45am EST
By Jared Leveson

Jared Leveson (@jared_leveson)

NEWTOWN — Lily Milewski’s facemask does more than protect her face, it gives her peace of mind and confidence. 

Before she started her first day of class freshman year, Milewksi played summer league basketball with the Eagles. The 6-foot forward picked up her dribble and got an elbow directly to her nose within the first minute of her first game against Nazareth. 

Blood gushed from her broken nose. Milewski’s summer league ended there.

“You gotta be kidding me,” Conwell-Egan head coach Christopher Brennan thought to himself.  “This is how you start your career? 

“I felt horrible for her.” 


Conwell-Egan sophomore Lily Milewski had a double-double Saturday against George School. (Photo: Courtesy Conwell-Egan)

Milewski’s debut was delayed due to surgery afterward, but now fully healthy, the sophomore continues wearing the mask for every game and practice. The mask doesn’t improve her skills directly, but it definitely does something good as Milewski’s 11-point, 12-rebound (three offensive) double-double performance propelled Conwell-Egan to a win over the George School 45-21 on Saturday afternoon. 

George School (9-6, 3-1) has a tall front court that features junior Gianna Johnson (6-foot-5), a recent Stony Brook offeree, and sophomore Priyanka Ponnam (6-foot-3). Milewksi was tasked with containing the former Egan player, Johnson on the defensive end. She did her job. 

“(Lily Milewski) really had a tall order,” Brennan said. “We knew (George) was gonna force the ball into Johnson and the doubling was perfect. We walked through it this morning before we came here and they executed almost to perfection.” 

“It was physical,” Milewski said about guarding Johnson. “I’ve always been one of the tallest on the court, and I am used to it.” 

Egan swarmed Johnson or Ponnam whenever either of the two made a move toward the inside and Milewski and the team executed their defensive game plan. Brennan’s defense generated 15 turnovers and limited Johnson and Ponnam to 15 points on 8-of-29 shooting combined. 

Milewski also had to contend with Johnson’s shot-blocking ability, which gave her and her teammates some issues in the first half. Johnson recorded two blocks, but her presence alone can rattle shooters and the Eagles’ went 5-for-23 from the field through the first two quarters and only led 11-8 at halftime. 

“She’s a very good shot blocker,” Milewski said about Johnson. “Sometimes I would rush my shot when she came out to block it.” 

With Milewski struggling to find herself offensively, Brooke McFadden took over for the Eagles in the third quarter. The junior who’s received Division I and Division II interest scored nine points and recorded two steals in the third quarter. 

Four of McFadden’s points came in transition which got generated from her quick hands on the defensive end. The 5-foot-9 guard also hit a three-pointer and got herself an easy lay-up off a curling motion toward the basket. 

“She really ramped up her defense,” Brennan said. “Sitting in passing lanes (and) bating them, she did a great job not letting them get a run.” 

“I saw a bunch of open opportunities there for me,” McFadden added, whose role has expanded since Mya Aizen tore her ACL early in December. 

She has split vocal leadership roles between herself, Milewski, Kyliyah Carmichael, and her twin sister Brianna (Bri) McFadden. Brooke’s leadership helped Egan and Milewski overcome an intense, physical, and imperfect game from both teams and the officials. 

“I always like to send positivity to my teammates,” Brooke said. “If we are in the locker room at halftime or before the game I’m like ‘keep it up, keep looking for your shots, keep your composure, keep the confidence’ I like to spread positivity.” 

Brooke’s halftime messaging to the team resonated with the Eagles as they outscored the Cougars 34-14 in the second-half. 

The junior’s positivity stuck with Milewski the most. The sophomore often gets the pregame jitters and her older sister, Molly Milewski, who missed the game for a volleyball tournament at Penn State always says the right things to ease her sister’s nerves. 

But with McFadden and her other teammates’ encouragement, Milewski overcame her doubts and made crucial plays on both ends down the stretch. 

The sophomore re-established herself offensively in the fourth quarter, where she scored seven points, and helped put the game away. Milewski knocked down a three-pointer off an assist from Bri McFadden, added an inside finish, and sunk a pair of free-throws late. 

“I needed to learn (and did) throughout the game that I needed to stay composed and look for my shot,” Milewski said. 

“When I made that three it felt so good,” she continued, “because the last three point attempts I had taken were completely off and when I saw that go in I was so happy that I was able to stay in the game and not put myself down.” 

Milewski’s confidence carried over to the defensive side as well. She recorded a critical block against Johnson that repelled a late George run and kept Egan’s lead at 10 midway through the fourth quarter. 

The Division I and II prospect also fought hard for contested balls. Milewksi used her strength to force a jump ball that stopped another George offensive possession a few minutes later, which officially slammed the door shut on George. 

Brennan has been impressed with Milewski because of her combination of skill, size, and work ethic ever since she first suited up for the Eagles in that summer league game back in 2021. She played major minutes and found her way into the starting lineup early-on in her career.

“She started from day one,” Brennan said about Milewski’s freshman year. “Through our preseason she battled into the starting role and never gave it up. Her game gets stronger and stronger and she's expanding her game. 

“It's fun to watch (her) development. I think last year and the beginning of this year she was struggling with her finishing and you can see the confidence, it's blossoming. I think we are only seeing the beginning.” 

Milewski was primarily an interior player last season, but she will most likely become a guard at the collegiate level and has made great strides in her perimeter game. She has a newfound confidence with her three-point shot and has experienced an increase in ball-handling responsibilities. 

Her protective face mask has stayed with her through her young and promising career. It eases her worries about re-injuring it and having more surgery.

“I feel more secure and I am able to play as strong as I can and not have to worry about my nose,” Milewski said about her clear mask with a black strap. 

But every once in a while, Milewski forgets to bring her mask home from practice. Brennan has rescued the mask on several occasions. He knows how important it is for his emerging talent. 

“I find it at practice quite a bit and I make sure I take it home with me and bring it back to practice.

“We make sure we take care of it.” 

By Quarter:

Egan | 9 | 2 | 11 | 23 || 45 

George | 6 | 2 | 5 | 9 || 21

Scoring: 

Conwell-Egan: Brooke McFadden 16, Carmichael 12, Milewski 11, Bri McFadden 4, Cannon 2

George: Johnson 13, Ponnam 5, Gregorio 4, Harrington 1


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