City of Basketball Love

Andrew Robinson (@ADrobinson3)
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FRANCONIA — There’s something different about Fiona Reckner this winter.

The Council Rock South junior made her name as a feisty defender the last two years in both her sports, basketball and soccer. Over the summer, Reckner played a new role with her Upper Makefield Heat Hoops travel team and realized there were so many more ways she could impact a game.

Reckner had a great opening weekend, capturing MVP honors as the Golden Hawks downed host Souderton 53-27 to win the annual Jim Church Classic on Saturday.

“I’ve always had that fire, especially on the defensive end with how I play defense in soccer or my first couple years being a defensive player,” Reckner said. “Now that I’m growing more in my own confidence and starting to take things for myself, I think it’s building that fire.”

The 5-foot-9 guard/wing/forward/all of the above posted 15 points, four rebounds and three steals on Saturday, following 13 points in CR South’s impressive season-opening win over Abington on Friday. Reckner slots in at forward for the Hawks, mainly by association as she’s one of the taller players on a guard-heavy lineup but she’s just as home out on the perimeter, driving to the rim or making a pass to the next player.

That comes from this summer, where her Heat team deployed her in more of a guard/wing hybrid role.

“In AAU, I’ve been playing more of a guard or a small forward but we don’t have a ton of height this year, so I knew I’d have to be more of a big,” Reckner said. “I’m still using my strengths, sometimes when there’s a true big, I’m able to use my speed or if they’re smaller, that’s when I can use my size. I’m trying to use whatever I can in what advantages are there.”

With two double-digit scoring efforts in two games, it’s showing.

“I’ve been trying to be more of an offensive threat,” Reckner said. “My first two years at South, I was used more for my defense. I wanted to be more of an attacker, drive to the basket and take things for myself.”

Reckner’s first score on Saturday came on a strong drive to the rim that netted an and-one opportunity. She got fouled on another take, converted a score inside and had an offensive rebound for a putback to start off then added another layup and connected on a corner three for a 13-point first half.

Lil Metrick had 11 points, joining Reckner on the all-tournament team, while Kathryn O’Kane had nine points, three assists and two steals. The Hawks are looking for big things out of the trio, who are year-round teammates between CR South and their Heat Hoops rosters.

It’s a deep and now experienced group around them too, which showed in a dominant second quarter the Hawks took 25-3 over a young Souderton team. 

“We’re a tight-knit group and when we’re all together, I feel like that passion really shows on the court,” Reckner said. “Even our bench is super into it, we’re all into it and that stems from our coaches as well, because they definitely stress that.”

The Golden Hawks were pretty busy this fall getting games in, but Reckner didn’t play any of them. She had good reason, along with O’Kane and Lily Bross, as they were busy playing big minutes for CR South’s girls’ soccer team.

Reckner played as a defensive midfielder, a role almost perfectly suited for her always-running motor and high energy. Hawks soccer coach Nick Heim felt like it was a different team when Reckner wasn’t on the field and it’s no coincidence some of her best work of the fall came during the team’s underdog playoff run.

Reckner, O’Kane and Bross helped a No. 21 seeded Golden Hawks team reach the District 1 4A quarterfinals and earn their first state bid since 2019. It’s the kind of run the basketball team is hoping to make in a few months’ time and Reckner noted the experience was invaluable.

“That was such an incredible run, we got to basketball late because of it, but it was so worth it,” Reckner said. “That energy, we were definitely the underdog team but it was such an incredible experience. Now that I’ve felt that, it showed me how much more I want that in basketball too.”

Despite the busy fall, the soccer girls were regulars at every open gym or last-minute team workout. It told first-year CR South coach Jesse Krasna everything he needed to know about the team’s buy-in and he’s been equally pushing Reckner to make her mark on both ends of the court.

“It’s a credit to all the time and effort she’s put into developing her skill level on her own,” Krasna said. “Even during soccer season, she was still finding ways to become a better shooter or work on her finishing and she really deserves to have a big year because of that.”

Reckner scored her final basket of the game in the third quarter as the Hawks extended their lead then let the reserves play out the win. Even as a seven-point lead ballooned to 23 points then more before halftime, Reckner was there getting on the floor trying to force a steal or switching defensive assignments as needed.

“It’s a mindset of ‘that girl is not getting around me,’” Reckner said. “I’m going to do whatever I can within my power to keep that girl from getting around me.”

This past summer also gave Reckner motivation to start thinking about playing beyond high school. She said hoops is her number one sport and while a few programs have expressed some interest, it’s something she wants to start taking more seriously with this winter season.

At the moment though, Reckner is only focused on the season. While she may be doing some new things on the court, she’s not going to get away from what’s made her successful so far.

“I just like to bring energy,” Reckner said. “I don’t want to say it's just my presence on the field or on the court, I want to fire my teammates up and I think it stems from that.” 

Once the Golden Hawks got going in the second quarter, they weren’t slowing down.

While the score didn’t favor the host team, Souderton coach Lynn Carroll saw plenty of positives in the weekend. Thanks to a game-winning buzzer-beater by Brooke Fenchel - the team’s only senior and only returning starter from last year - Souderton went 1-1 to start the season.

“Our girls can keep it all in perspective and understand what we accomplished this weekend,” Carroll said. “I’m incredibly proud of our second half effort, they played every possession like it mattered. We now know where we stand against a team that’s well-coached, very quick and experienced.”

By Quarter
CR South:  14  |  25  |   8   |   6   ||  53
Souderton:  6   |   3   |   5   |  13  ||  27

Scoring
CRS - Fiona Reckner 15, Lil Metrick 11, Kathryn O’Kane 9, Sarah Freeman 5, Haley Thompson 5, Cam Gregory 3, Katie Purpura 2, Maria Freeman 2, Gabriella Hettler 1

S - Kiera Fadden 7, Emily Dick 7, Brooke Fenchel 5, Julia Purvy 3, Jac Bermel 2, Avie Sackor 2, Olivia Herron 1