City of Basketball Love

By Andrew Robinson (@ADRobinson3)
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(Ed. Note: This story is part of 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 2023-24 season preview coverage. The complete list of schools previewed thus far can be found here.)

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Externally or coming from within their own walls, plenty of eyes will be on Neshaminy’s leaders this winter.

That’s part of the service charge that comes with the price of being a senior in a successful program with high aspirations, but it’s a bill Lola Ibarrondo and Reese Zemitis aren’t ducking from. If they can keep eyes on them and off the younger teammates they know will factor into the season, great but more important are the eyes of their teammates watching their every move.

Neshaminy knows it has the pieces to put together a strong season, it’ll be up to its leaders to get there.

“We have to lead,” Ibarrondo said. “Everything we do is being watched by the freshmen. We have to set a good example for them, but also help them to grow. That’s pretty much the goal this year and then they can carry that into their next seasons ahead of them.”

Ibarrondo, committed to Holy Family and Zemitis, committed to Bucknell, are both returning off back-to-back First Team All-SOL Patriot seasons after leading Neshaminy to the division title last season. Neshaminy was also a state playoff team each of the last two years, but has yet to advance past the opening round in Class 6A.

Ava Irizarry, a gritty guard who served as a key reserve last season, rounds out the senior class. Junior Alena Cofield is Neshaminy’s other returning starter alongside Ibarrondo and Zemitis, the guard on the short list of contenders for fastest player in the area and has really improved her offensive game to go alongside her tenacious defending.

Outside of that, Neshaminy will be relying on a number of inexperienced and brand-new players, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be contributing right away.

“Lola and Reese could not be doing a better job as captains taking these young kids under their arms,” Neshaminy coach John Gallagher said. “They know I’m not going to get on the young kids for making mistakes, so they’re taking them off to the side and coaching them. It’s our best incoming class, we’re lucky to have them and they couldn’t be luckier to have Lola and Reese as their leaders.”

Zemitis remembers her freshman year, where she was the newcomer put right into the starting lineup on an experienced team. The 6-foot forward started out as a perimeter shooting option and spent the last three years growing and developing her game that culminated as a third team all-state selection following last season.

“They’ll learn it’s not all about scoring,” Zemitis said. “You can affect a game in so many other ways, whether it’s getting a rebound, a big defensive stop or even hitting one or two threes in a game can be huge.”

Neshaminy brings back three starters, but there are some important spots to fill in the rotation. Taylor Gurysh, about to begin her freshman year at Kutztown, is the most prominent loss as a versatile wing/forward who was able to step out to the perimeter, score inside, pass, rebound and defend on her way to All-SOL honors as a senior.

That shouldn’t discount the departures of Jess Purdy and Lindsay Little, two guards who filled a valuable role spacing the floor on offense. Replacing them could very well come from a difference in approach.

“I think we’re going to attack more this year,” Ibarrondo said. “We have more guards with that attack-heavy mindset. We lost some shooters who were comfortable on the perimeter but I’ve noticed the freshman want to go in, so we’ll be able to do that and hopefully, it opens up even more shots for us.”

At the same time, with two players in Ibarrondo and Cofield who can get to the basket, having an outlet ready for a kick-out pass will remain an integral piece of what Neshaminy wants to do.

“We lost two girls who could really shoot from the outside and Taylor Gurysh, who could shoot from the outside but also take it inside, so those are big losses,” Gallagher said. “Every team’s going to have losses but we’re definitely missing those corners Lola was able to get off her driving. I’m hoping some of the young kids step up and are able to show they can hit that shot.”

Neshaminy hasn’t played with a full deck yet this fall with a handful of fall athletes busy with their seasons, but the defending SOL Patriot champions have still gotten some good reps in. Among the group playing this fall are five of the team’s freshmen in Grace Weyler, Ashlyn Duffy, Mia Raivich, Auslyn Wilkins and Hayley Kolk.

Kolk, a 6-foot forward who played with the Mid-Atlantic Magic this past summer, has shown a very well-rounded game on the offensive end. There are still moments where the seniors have to direct her to the right spot, but Kolk hasn’t been afraid to take her opportunities and that hasn’t escaped the eyes of her teammates.

Gallagher said Kolk has also been working with a personal trainer and from the end of the summer to the start of fall workouts. He’s already seen the forward show progress and said it was all Kolk putting in the time on her own.

“Hayley Kolk, for her to come in and have the confidence to take those shots is really big,” Zemitis said. “We are so young, we need them to come in and not be scared. All the freshmen, they’re new to this but they’ve been playing really well.”

Winning the SOL Patriot title last year was a big step for this group. Zemitis and Ibarrondo are aiming a little bigger this year. Neshaminy should be a contender for the SOL tournament title but beyond that, the two senior captains have yet to win a state playoff game and very much want to change that before they move on to college.

When things haven’t gone well for Neshaminy, it’s usually been due to a lack of energy. So far this fall, thanks to their injection of inexperienced but eager new teammates that hasn’t been a problem.

“A lot of energy,” Ibarrondo said. “We’re very, very skilled. All the freshmen that are coming up are very skilled and once they get the offense down, we’re going to be a pretty good team with the skill level we have.”