Borcky, Garnet Valley have some growing to do after North Penn loss
ROYERSFORD >> Brianne Borcky knew that big expectations would come with playing basketball as a freshman at Garnet Valley. The Jaguars have made a habit of hanging a Central League championship banner after recent seasons as well as competing in the PIAA Class AAAA Tournament.
Borcky, a 5-11 freshman with a deep athletic pedigree, and her Jaguars teammates learned Sunday at the Blue Chip Basketball Super Sunday Showcase, however, that if they want to reach a higher level of play this winter, they still have some work to do.
Garnet Valley, which figures to be among the top Class AAAA teams in District One when the playoffs begin, absorbed a 75-41 pounding from North Penn (18-2), which could end up with the No. 1 district tourney seed.
Borcky scored 13 points (nine in the second half), grabbed a pair of rebounds, made two steals and swatted away two shots for the Jaguars. Emily McAleer, the Jaguars’ other freshman starter, chipped in with 12 points and senior Maddie Ireland added nine points. They were the only starters to hit the scoreboard.
Ireland and Michelle Koscinski, who came off the bench, both made three steals, but Garnet Valley fell into a 21-point hole at halftime before things got worse. North Penn dropped in 33 points in the third period, when the Maidens were 5-for-5 attempting 3-point shots.
“That team’s really good,” said Borcky, the latest in a long line of talented family members that includes her older cousin Sami, who scored more than 1,000 points at Sun Valley. “My freshman season’s been good because the seniors have been so supportive and helpful. But this game wasn’t what we hoped. We know when we get out of our league we’ll be playing against some very strong competition.”
Garnet Valley coach Joe Woods told his players to put what happened out of their minds as they get ready for their next Central League challenge, which will come from Haverford Tuesday as the Jaguars prepare for the Central League tournament, which begins Saturday.
“We had a very big win (at Conestoga) Friday night,” Woods said. “We ran into a very good team tonight that hurt us with their transition game and was making their shots.
“Give their coach (Maggie DeMarteleire) credit for having them well-prepared. They were fast and physical. They showed why they could wind up with the No. 1 seed for districts.”
Senior Mikaela Giuliani (nine rebounds, one steal, one blocked shot) and junior Sam Carangi (five rebounds, two assists, one steal), who has committed to Villanova University, paced North Penn with 15 points.
“We played Central Bucks West and beat them last week,” said Carangi, who will play AAU basketball with several Cardinal O’Hara players on the Comets this summer. “We just wanted to keep winning against this team and keep getting ready for the playoffs.”
Meanwhile, Garnet Valley’s growth plan continues, with Borcky a big part of it. The freshman, whose uncles Dennis and Tim played pro football, and whose aunt Anne was an All-Delco basketball player at Chichester, is on an upward path.
“They told me I might be done growing,” Borcky said, “but I’m still getting taller and my dad (Richard) is 6-11.”
