Lower Merion girls take on Mamba Mentality

Lower Merion >> Prior to the start of the 2019-2020 Lower Merion girls’ basketball season, Aces’ first-year head coach Erin Laney designed a long-sleeve shirt with LMGB emblazoned on the front and Mamba Mentality on the back. Laney would award one of these shirts every two weeks to the player who improved their game and took that step forward, just like Kobe Bryant did, even late into his NBA career.
“I knew that even into the late stages of his career Kobe was always looking forward and searching for ways to improve his game along with having roots that run deep with Lower Merion High School,” Laney said following her team’s game against Southern Lehigh (the team she coached for four years before coming to LM). “I knew the team was talented but needed a motivational change. I created the shirt with hopes that the girls would embrace that same mentality Kobe had.”
“I thought it was really special that even though Coach Laney is not from this area that she still knew everything Kobe did because he had such an impact on the school,” said Lower Merion junior co-captain Sophia Dowdall. “Showing us what we needed to do to win in his honor was really special and the T-shirt we could earn just reflected how he played the game.”
Lower Merion junior co-captain Bridget McCann added, “Even though we never had a chance to meet Kobe, just having a chance to call the gym named after him [our] home, and having a chance to play in his legacy, was a constant reminder to play hard at all times and work hard at all times.”
Always wanting to learn and improve, the Lower Merion players and coaching staff feel that continued progress was made throughout this season, even though their win-loss record did not reflect the effort.
“Our record doesn’t reflect the effort this team gave throughout the year,” said Laney. “The team really embraced Kobe’s attitude of never backing down and they are always looking for ways to improve and get better.”
“It’s so important,” McCann said. “We returned almost everybody this year and each year has been a growing year. We have been playing better as a team and coming together. Our last chance is next year and we are going to work hard and make things better.”
“I think next year will show all of our hard work,” said Lower Merion junior co-captain Ellie O’Keefe, who has been sidelined the past couple of weeks with a concussion. “Last year and this year have been building years, especially this year with the new coach and I think next year will show all of our hard work.”
Following the Aces’ final home game of the season Feb. 1, the Lower Merion community came together to pay tribute to the nine victims, including Kobe and his daughter Gianna, who perished in the helicopter accident Jan. 26.
“I heard stories all the time from [my] grandfather about Kobe and his sisters and their time playing in the Narberth Summer League,” said O’Keefe, whose grandfather Joe D’Antonio helped found the Narberth Summer Basketball League for girls more than three decades ago. “They would also be down playing at Narberth on their own and it’s crazy to think that someone like Kobe was just like us in high school. He showed us that anything is possible if you work hard.”