City of Basketball Love

By Dan Arkans (@danarkans)
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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 2024-25 season preview coverage. The complete list of schools previewed thus far can be found here.)

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The Lower Merion girls basketball team has been building for the 2024-2025 season.

The Aces were close last year, finishing one spot out of the District 1 6A field.

This season they are ready to break that door down under head coach Erin Laney.

“I am really optimistic,” Laney said. “Last season we finished 10-12. We lost a good amount of minutes. Everyone is just united in competitiveness. There’s an absolute fire to prove Lower Merion is not a gimme game. Teams are going to have to really earn it to beat us. They are feeling a nice competitive energy this season. Over .500 would be a bar that’s not unrealistic, hopefully making it to league playoffs and certainly districts.”

The Aces are optimistic because they have a legitimate 1-2 punch in junior point guard Alexa Braslow and 6-foot senior center Megan Walters. Braslow was an honorable mention Central League performer, who averaged 9.5 points and 5.3 assists per game. 

She is currently playing girls soccer, but will be ready for the start of the season. Walters was also a Central League honorable mention as a junior and is expected to make her college decision within a few weeks.

“We have a productive in and out game,” Laney said. “I know teams will be concerned about our inside presence. Megan knows she will get doubled and tripled. We have some serious sharpshooters this year that will drill the 3. Teams will have to adjust to what we are doing.”

To get to districts and to the Central League playoffs Lower Merion will need contributions from the entire team. This is what feels different around Lower Merion this season. 

Sophomore Harper Gust looks primed to make a big contribution this season after being a defensive stopper last season. Another sophomore, Arry Glover, should also see some key minutes in the backcourt as well.

The big surprise is the addition of freshman Natalia Kasmer, who not only can spell Braslow but push for significant minutes in the starting lineup. The cousin of Aces’ senior standout Carson Kasmer, Natalia is a strong outside shooter who’s looked varsity ready this offseason.

“There’s certainly a collective energy to rebrand Lower Merion as a winning team,” Laney said. “These six years have been a labor of love and a grind to get this program to a point where having an above .500 would be a standard and an expectation. The girls feel that too. School feels it. The fellow teams feel it too. They know this year will be a really good year for us. With Megan and the incoming class this is the year we turn the page to the present.”

Also seeing significant minutes possibly in the starting lineup is senior Allison Pham, who brings the defensive intensity to the squad. Another senior Sophia Mammo looks to provide offensive firepower off the bench and certainly plenty of leadership.

“I think we just want to win,” Pham said. “We want it to make it to districts. We had a really good season last year. We have to step it up and get to districts this season.”

To get there the Aces will have to do better in the Central League. Last year they had as many wins with their non-league schedule as the Central League. In fact Lower Merion was a pretty successful 5-1 out of league. To truly step it up a notch Lower Merion will have to deal with Conestoga, Garnet Valley and Haverford just to name a few.

“The Central League is always competitive,” Laney said. “You say, ‘Thank goodness when seniors graduate. Then you see what they bring in and it’s here we go again. Everyone seems to find talent. Talent is always rising in the Central; League. Garnet will be ridiculously talented. Conestoga will be good. Haverford has a lot of returning starters. They will be competitive. I see us up there this year.”

Lower Merion has not made the district playoffs since 2011. If they reach states, Laney admitted she would have to search the record books. To get where they want to go the Aces will need solid leadership and a defense-first mindset from the entire team.

“Central League is one of hardest across the district,” Pham said. “We have been considered underdogs and not the greatest team. If we come out and beat these teams it will kickstart us.”