Upper Perkiomen continues early season roll with Frontier win over Pottstown
POTTSTOWN >> Just four games into her senior season, Hannah Keeney can tell things are different for the Upper Perkiomen girls basketball team.
There are Instagram pictures taken and posted after games and screechy voices blasting Adele’s “Go Easy on Me” and Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats,” on the bus rides home.
“It’s a different atmosphere,” Keeney said. “I’ve never experienced this. … Music and happiness. … We’re hype. This is a team. This is chemistry.”
Following their fourth road trip of the season on Thursday night, the Indians once again took their pictures and planned to listen to their go-to songs after another result that gave them reason to sing.
Keeney scored 19 points, sophomore Erin States added 13 and freshman Grace Galbavy netted 12 in a 66-42 Pioneer Athletic Conference Frontier win over Pottstown, which was led by a game-high 24 points from senior Trinell Watson and 16 from junior Tamya Jarrett.
The victory improved Upper Perk to 3-1 early in the 2021-22 campaign, which surpassed the combined win total of the Indians’ last three seasons and matched the program’s most wins in a season since 2014-15.
“We all put in the work over the summer like I told you we would,” States said. “We’re all playing as a team now. The connection is there, the rhythm is there, and this year is going to be a good year. We have high hopes.”
Keeney and States combined for 28 first-half points Thursday as Upper Perk grabbed a 36-25 lead at the break. States (10.1 ppg) and Keeney (7.1 ppg) didn’t have much help in the scoring department last season, but that’s not the case through three games.
Galbavy, who scored 18 points in a win over Daniel Boone on Tuesday, appears to be a third go-to option for the Indians. She poured in nine of her 11 points on Thursday during a 16-3 third quarter that helped the Indians expand their advantage to 52-28 heading to the fourth.
Sophomore Elena Fabian joined her in double figures with 10 as eight total Upper Perk players scored.
“It’s all of us together,” States said. “It’s not just one person. It’s going to be all of us working as a team.”
Pottstown coach Madison Morton thought his squad was primed for a breakout season like the Indians but …
“The basketball gods thought otherwise,” Morton said.
The Trojans began their season without three-projected starters, including senior Calista Daye (11.5 ppg in 2020-21), who tore her ACL and is out for the season.
Watson and Jarrett did their best to keep Pottstown in the game early Thursday, trailing just 18-15 after the first quarter. But as fatigue and foul trouble took their toll on the shorthanded Trojans, Upper Perk pulled away.
“We have limited players on the bench, they have limited varsity experience,” Morton said. “By the time we play four quarters it just becomes a war of attrition.”
Morton praised Watson’s growth in maturity in her senior season, and noted her development both on and off the court has had a positive impact on Jarrett’s game as well.
In a Frontier Division with several programs in transition, Watson, who is the PAC’s third top returning scorer at 14.1 ppg, and Jarrett will do their best to keep the Trojans competitive in the division.
“That’s the cards we’re dealt,” Morton said. “We just have to handle it, ride the wave and see where it takes us.”
Prior to last season, Keeney and Upper Perk classmates Mackenzie Schaffer, Bailey Cahill and Gabriella Neal were part of a 60-game Pioneer Athletic Conference losing streak and 33-game skid overall dating back to Dec. 27, 2018 — the start of their freshman seasons at the school.
The Indians finally broke through with two victories during a 2-13 season in 2020-21.
In his third year with program, coach Matt Bowe challenged his team to take another leap forward this season, and they are delivering so far.
“Coach brought us the idea of winning the division, and I think all together we just really want to win,” Keeney said. “We’re going to keep striving for that goal.”
“We all took that to heart, and we all really want it, so we’re going to work for it,” States said.
Upper Perkiomen 66
Pottstown 42
Upper Perkiomen: Kearney 1 1-1 3; Schaffer 0 0-0 0; Hesier 0 0-0 0; States 5 3-5 13; Fabian 5 0-4 10; Neal 2 0-0 4; Galbavy 5 2-2 12; Pfander 1 0-0 2; Keeney 9 2-3 19; Davidheiser 1 1-2 3; Totals 29 7-17 66.
Pottstown: Zipay 1 0-0 2; Watson 7 8-10 24; Jarrett 7 2-3 16; Lamarre 0 0-0 0; Logan 0 0-0 0; McClune 0 0-2 0; Weller 0 0-0 0; Totals 15 10-15 42.
Upper Perkiomen 18 18 26 14-66
Pottstown 15 10 3 14-42
3-point goals: UP – Keeney; PT – Watson 2.
