Germantown Academy shows toughness, grinds out win over Upper Dublin
WHITEMARSH >> At its peak, the Germantown Academy girls basketball team can be a really smooth and productive offensive team.
Of course, not every team is going to let the Patriots reach that peak so that’s when they lean on their toughness and grit. Monday, they got a chance to show that other side against the always stout defense of Upper Dublin.
It was a grind, but one GA could handle as it improve to 4-0 with a 40-31 win over the Cardinals.
“I think we just played together,” GA senior co-captain Jaye Haynes said. “We worked really hard, and trusted each other especially against their press.”
Upper Dublin was playing its first game of the season but the defense looked in prime form during the first half. They kept GA off the board for four-and-a-half minutes to start the game, covered the deep threats and made the lane a difficult path to venture down.
Senior Maddie Vizza hit a 3-pointer to open the scoring for GA but a bulk of the home team’s points would come from the foul line. The Patriots took 22 free throws, making 18 and determined the best way to wear down Upper Dublin’s defense was to keep going at it and look to draw contact.
“They watched our film and knew everything we were doing so I think it came down to us showing grit and wanting it more than them,” senior forward Elle Stauffer said.
The Patriots aren’t a slouch defensive team either and they were able to limit Upper Dublin’s opportunities. Despite holding GA to just 15 points, the Cardinals were limited to nine points with just two players scoring them.
GA made it hard for UD to get into its sets and most times, even get the ball up the floor by guarding the ball the length of the court. Cardinals coach Morgan Funsten noted GA “checks most of the boxes” with size, speed and shooters offensively which makes guarding the Patriots a difficult task.
“I thought the story of the first half was we exerted so much energy defending them and I did I thought such a great job, we had to use the offensive end to take a rest,” Funsten said. “I don’t think we were in sync offensively but it had to do with how well and how hard we were playing defensively.”
After the break, Upper Dublin’s offense picked up and seven points from Dayna Balasa as part of a 10-6 run cut the lead down to two points. Balasa, a junior guard, led the Cardinals with 12 points and her 3-pointer with 4:30 left in the third got UD within 21-19.
The uptick in points came at a cost on the defensive end. After getting key stops in the first half, the Cardinals couldn’t manufacture those defensive stands at the same rate in the second half and GA was able to counter Upper Dublin’s key scores with its own.
“That was the time the momentum needed to change in our favor and we couldn’t get defensive stops,” Funsten said. “It’s something we pride ourselves in and something we thought we really improved on as the year went on last year but early in the season right now we have to be better on defense after we score.”
Following the Balasa trey, GA came back with the next five points to steal momentum. Center Becca Booth scored on a drive, adding a free throw before Caitlyn Priore drew a foul and knocked down two free throws.
Priore, a senior back in the lineup after missing last year with an ACL injury, only scored two points but showed a lot of the grit and toughness the Patriots take pride in. She had three offensive rebounds while senior Maddie Burns had two off the bench and GA kept a couple important second half possessions alive with those hustle type plays.
“This whole team is full of grit and toughness,” Vizza said. “We always are hustling and we work really hard on that practice.”
GA took a 27-21 lead into the fourth quarter, then scored the first five points of the final frame. Booth buried a three from the left corner before Priore came up with a steal, starting a 2-on-1 break that ended with Stauffer dishing off to Haynes.
Priore, a Gettysburg College recruit, played against a future college teammate in UD senior forward Kara Grebe, who has also committed to the Bullets.
Upper Dublin got the lead down to eight with 6:09 left, but the Patriots were again able to get to the foul line and extend the lead back out.
“That’s our game,” Stauffer said. “Knowing they have bigs in the paint and nothing else was really working out for us, we can drive and try to get those fouls.”
Jess Polin hit all net on a wing three and Jackie Vargas knocked down two at the stripe as UD made a last push, closing within 35-29 with 3:03 to play.
Booth made a terrific pass to Haynes for a layup then the senior knocked down two at the line while GA’s defense was able to chalk up a couple more stops. Haynes, a La Salle recruit, led all scorers with 13 points.
“I think it just showed our resilience and how mature and calm we are,” Haynes said. “Even having a big lead and them cutting it close, we were able to answer every time.”
GA coach Sherri Retif missed the game tending to a family matter but she was on her players’ minds as they tried to keep their unbeaten start going.
“You could just see the heart on our team,” Stauffer said. “From the starters to the bench, you could see how much we wanted it and how much we wanted it for Coach Retif.”
Upper Dublin, which is heading to the Nike Tournament of Champions the week before Christmas, opens SOL American play against Abington on Thursday.
“There’s a lot to build on, if we make a couple more shots it’s a closer game but credit to GA,” Funsten said. “They’re talented, they’re great on defense, they have a lot of weapons offensively, great size, great athleticism. They check all the boxes.”
GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 40, UPPER DUBLIN 31
UPPER DUBLIN 4 5 12 10 – 31
GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 5 10 12 13 – 40
UD: Jess Polin 1 2-2 5, Kara Grebe 1 1-2 3, Dayna Balasa 4 1-2 12, Jackie Vargas 4 3-4 11. Totals: 10 7-10 31.
GA: Caitlyn Priore 0 2-2 2, Becca Booth 2 1-1 6, Jaye Haynes 4 4-5 13, Maddie Vizza 2 4-6 10, Elle Stauffer 1 6-6 8, Jess Moore 0 1-2 1. Totals: 9 18-22 40.
3-pointers: GA – Vizza 2, Haynes, Booth; UD – Balasa 3, Polin.
