City of Basketball Love

Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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On a night where the Drexel women honored one of the best players in program history, 2023 CAA Player of the Year Keishana Washington, it was clear they have work to do as they adjust to her absence from the rotation. 

Amy Mallon’s Dragons, bereft of not just Washington much of their offensive firepower from a year ago, are working in new pieces in new places all over the floor. They showed their inexperience in their season opener Wednesday night, falling 51-49 to Norfolk State at the Daskalakis Athletic Center.

It was a game in which the hosts were in it right to the wire, but too-long stretches of offensive frustration combined with a few last-minute turnovers were too much to overcome. 

“I was saying this team is like a blank page right now and this is the first little written part of what we’re seeing with the team this year,” she said afterwards. “I’m actually really happy with some of the things I saw from this group defensively, because I think they showed they’re capable of doing some really good things defensively.”

There’s no doubt the Dragons played solid ‘D,’ holding Norfolk State below 40% from the floor, though the Spartans’ 17 offensive rebounds were a significant factor in their win.

The other end of the court was another story.

Drexel shot 39.1% overall (18-of-46) and just 23.8% (5-of-21) from downtown. The Dragons struggled to get open looks all night long, many of their shots coming late in the shot clock. Unlike last year, when Washington could get a good look from anywhere at any time, Mallon’s group often had to settle for contested jumpers. 

“I think that pacing was due to what they did on defense, the matchup [zone],” Mallon said. “You want to make sure you’re not taking quick shots, I always say take shots that you can make and not that are hard to take. I think the clock did go down a bit at times, but I think that’s something we were looking to do to make sure we got good looks at the basket.”

Sophomore guard Grace O’Neill, playing all 40 minutes, was 5-of-9 from the floor (2-5 3PT), for 12 points, adding six rebounds and three assists. Harcum transfer Amaris Baker, starting in her first game in a Drexel uniform, was 4-of-10 (2-7 3PT), including a go-ahead bucket in the final 30 seconds, leading the team with 14 points. 

On the flip side, forwards Chloe Hodges (7 points) and Jasmine Valentine (5 points, 4 rebounds) combined to shoot 4-of-13 from the floor. Villanova transfer Brooke Mullin was 3-of-10 overall and just 1-of-7 from deep, committing four turnovers, including one on the final possession. 

The Neshaminy grad is playing a more featured role in the offense than she did in four years with the Wildcats, where she never averaged more than 4.8 ppg despite playing more than 26 mpg the last two years.

“We put her in a situation tonight to take shots and had the ball in her hands in crucial moments, and that’s not going to change, I have total confidence in her doing that,” Mallon said. “That wasn’t her role before she was here, so for us that will change and I think she’s going to get comfortable with that.”

Leading by one entering the fourth quarter of a game where neither team gained separation, Drexel briefly went up 43-39 with 8:21 remaining before Norfolk State clamped down. The Dragons went more than five minutes without a point, the Spartans creeping up to take a 45-43 lead on a pair of foul shots with 4:19 left. 

But Drexel’s defense was also stout. Norfolk State missed nine straight shots over a seven-minute span as Drexel made just enough foul shots to crawl ahead 47-45 with 1:31 remaining.

That’s when Norfolk State’s Anjanae Richardson played hero for the Spartans. The 5-7 freshman guard first tied things up on a driving bucket with 47 seconds remaining, before Baker responded with a driving layup to put the hosts back up a bucket. Richardson didn’t flinch, knocking down a triple from straight away to put NSU up a point. 

Drexel’s next possession went awry, the Dragons fumbling the ball at midcourt, Norfolk State forcing a tieup and turnover. Richardson added one final foul shot with 5.7 seconds on the clock, giving Drexel one final look, a turnover advancing the ball up the court. Instead, they committed their 11th and final turnover of the game, Mullin losing the ball out of bounds as she attacked the bucket. 

Mallon’s hope is that situations like this in the non-league will pay off when Coastal Athletic Association play begins in a couple months. After all, this isn’t a group that’s going to earn an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament; the league slate is all that truly matters.

“Obviously they’re going to remember, I’m going to remember the possessions that were crucial with the turnovers,” Mallon said. “The consistency comes with getting the experience, obviously the in-game experience now and reiterating that at practice and doing the same situations so (we develop) the sense of urgency to get to the spots to run the plays, and know who you’re looking for and everyone be ready.”

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Washington honored with jersey retirement

Before the Dragons got their season underway, they honored one of the program’s all-time greats, lofting Keishana Washington’s jersey up into the Daskalakis rafters during a pregame ceremony. 

Though she finished up her collegiate career just eight months ago, there’s no doubt that Washington deserved to be so honored. The 5-7 Canadian guard was a bucket during her five seasons in West Philly, finishing her career second in program history with 2,363 points. 

“It’s surreal,” she said. “I knew it was going to happen, I saw the banner before it was unveiled. Seeing it up there is a completely different feeling.

“I knew it was going to happen after (my last) season, I didn’t know when, but for it to happen so soon shows the impact I’ve had and that’s something I’m extremely proud of.”

Currently playing her first professional season in Poland, she flew back to Philadelphia last weekend specifically for the ceremony, returning to her team in a couple days. 

Washington finished her Drexel career as one of the top scorers in the nation, averaging a program-record 27.7 ppg along with 3.7 apg and 3.4 rpg in 2022-23. The CAA Player of the Year and four-time all-league selection scored at least 15 points in every game, including a gym-record 43 points at Fordham in March. 

“Coming in as a freshman, my goal was just to make an impact, whatever impact that was,” she said. “I just wanted to be a part of a winning team, be a part of this culture, adapt at whatever (was) needed, and from there to get better.

“I did say my sophomore year that I wanted my jersey in the rafters. To have that happen, it’s a proud moment, for sure.”