Finley Basketball Coach Eyes the Future
The Finley Middle School seventh grade girls’ basketball team finished with a 7-5 mark this season but if the group continues to play in the off-season Falcon coach Jessie Brennan said the squad “will surely be a force to be reckoned with next year.”
Finley was captained by Hannah Burnett, Jackie Contino, Samantha Greenidge and Raynisha Witherspoon. “Overall, this team had it all; speed, agility, and most of all sportsmanship,” Brennan said. “No matter if we were down by 10 or ahead by 15, the team was continuously positive.”
Witherspoon starred at both guard and forward, averaging eight points per game. “She was the leader both on and off the court,” Brennan said. Point guards Tiana Thurmond and Natalia Chaney displayed relentless defense, with each averaging three steals a game, respectively.
Burnett settled into her forward position quite nicely, averaging four blocked shots a game for the Falcons. Contino, along with Katie Healy and Alexis Thompson utilized their speed for regular fast breaks at their opponent’s expense. The rest of the roster made contributions on both offense and defense. Several players specialized in coming off the bench and making an immediate impact in their first seconds on the court.
“The support coming from the bench was amazing,” Brennan said. “The girls left their hearts out on the court every game and I am proud to have coached them. If these girls continue to play ball during the off-season, they will surely be a force to be reckoned with next year.”
Finley came together quickly as a team, and the players were a competitive bunch, even in games the Falcons lost. “I set the bar of expectations pretty high this year for these girls and they surpassed that expectation,” Brennan said.
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