Defense Keys Gators' Win Over MIA

The Marco Island Academy girls were looking for their third win, and the Everglades girls were looking for their first. But Marco Island Academy was playing without their top player, Riley High, out for the season with an ACL injury.

Everglades City’s veteran coach, Becky Welch, decided to hang her hat on defense against the underpowered Rays. It worked, as the Gators held on for a 32-19 over the homestanding Rays.

"Since we've come back from the break,” Welch said, “they’re coming together more defensively to understand how to put the pressure. I'm defensive minded first. They're still working on trying to put their offense together so there's continuity. They have a full understanding of what they're supposed to be doing as a group, not as an individual, because that's where they're struggling. They're still trying to learn their role individually, and we need to be able to do our offense as a team. So that's coming forward a little bit. But defense is what I try to work on first.”

MIA coach Luke Evangelista said his team is reeling from the loss of team leader High.

"I just want to say a quick thing about Riley High,” said Evangelista. "She busted her ACL. She had surgery today. I talked to her dad. Surgery went well, which is good. She's been in our thoughts and prayers. It was a big loss. The girls stepped up, but it's hard now with the bodies and the depth that we have. It's just been a thing at the school that Coach Tyler Gresham and I are trying to change is to get more girls out. It's hard having one varsity level for freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. It kind of stifles development. And you run into issues now with foul trouble and injuries and all that stuff. You can say they're excuses, but it's just kind of the reality and something that we've got to face.”

The Gators were led by Jalen-Mayberry Escubi and Olivia Demere with seven points each. Marissa Antonucci scored three baskets in the second half.

The Rays were led by Kira Petit and Sienna McGowan with seven points each.

Welch sees her team developing.

“Ball handling,” Welch said, "we're still working on that. We have to get more confident with our ball handling, free throw shooting as well. And layups."

Welch was proud of how her team took control of the game in the second half after the Rays had cut the lead to six.

"That's where the defense did kick in,” Welch said. "They're looking to intercept. They were covering for each other. They had each other's backs so the team could run the defense the way I like it to be run. No matter if we're running a zone or man pressure or triangle and two, whatever it is, they're starting to learn that they've just got stuck in their areas and you know how to cheat over to the weak side a little bit and how to help one another out. We're getting there."

First year Rays coach Evangelista is trying to develop interest in his program.

“We're trying to make basketball cool,” Evangelista said. "We're trying to make it fun. We're trying to make it a popular thing at the school. And it takes time. It's a young group of girls, a lot of freshmen, a lot of sophomores. Sienna McGowan can shoot the ball very well. She's a freshman. Marissa Mlynarek, a tall girl, has a ton of potential. Both are freshmen. So, there's a lot to build off of. And Riley High is just a sophomore.”

Evangelista said he and Gresham are determined to build a strong program.

“We have ideas of like summer camp and probably a summer ball team,” Evangelista said. "Coach Tyler and I are here for the long haul. That was the first thing when we kind of got brought into this was like, 'we're not just here to check a box and go home and then tell you guys, get a new coach next year.' It's going to be for the long term. And I think we've gotten buy-in from the girls. We've gotten some buy-in from the parents. We've gotten buy-in from the school, and now we've just got to kind of put our money where our mouth is."