Basketball: Gabby Sweeney's return to John Jay-East Fishkill could help girls basketball team contend

Grace Kennedy was expecting a routine exchange of pleasantries when Gabby Sweeney approached her last summer; maybe a conversation regarding the AAU basketball tournament they both were competing in.

Instead, Kennedy said, she was “surprised” by the topic. But, pleasantly so.

Sweeney informed her friend they would be teammates once more as she intended to return to John Jay-East Fishkill High School.

Larry Brooks raised an eyebrow and lit up similarly when the coach received a text message from Sweeney asking when the open gym runs would begin.

For them both, it was the basketball equivalent of an unexpected, “Hey… WYD?” message.

Players to watch: Check out the Section 1 girls basketball watch list

Fast break: Buragas, Kennedy help John Jay reach Section 1 quarterfinals

“It’s not something I thought would happen, but it was definitely exciting news,” said Kennedy, a senior. “Right away you start thinking about what a huge asset she’s gonna be to the team.”

She was before, as part of a talented core the Patriots envisioned leading the program. And there was, perhaps, an even greater appreciation of those abilities during her absence last season. Something about the heart growing fonder.

Sweeney transferred as a junior to John F. Kennedy Catholic in Somers, spending a year at the prep school. She thrived there academically and starred for the girls basketball team, drawing the interest of college suitors, which led eventually to her signing last month to Bryant University.

She and her former teammates flourished independently. John Jay put forth one of its best regular seasons in recent memory then reached the Section 1 quarterfinals. But, for observers at least, there lingered the question, “How good would they have been together?”

“I feel like we have unfinished business,” Sweeney said of rejoining the team at John Jay. “Every practice since the summer, we’ve been talking about going farther and doing something special.”

In Sweeney, the Patriots add a versatile 6-foot-1 forward with a “bag,” as the young’uns say. She has a refined offensive game that includes deft ball handling and the instincts to facilitate. Her comeback came at an opportune time as the graduation of star center Ashley Buragas might’ve otherwise left a void.

The team and district ― including superintendent Dwight Bonk — welcomed her “with open arms” and Brooks helped make the transition almost seamless, Sweeney said.

There was an early adjustment period in which she felt a bit like “a new student,” meeting teachers and getting reacquainted with schoolmates. But that was brief.

“Gabby is a great kid, so how could you not welcome her back?” said Brooks, who has known Sweeney since she was in middle school. “We’ve always had a good relationship, so hearing that she was coming back was exciting. She’s a great player, a great person, and she’s gonna be successful in life.”

The hope, too, is that she’ll be successful on the court this winter.

The Patriots return eight players from last season, including Kennedy, a standout point guard whose skillset will again be complemented by a dominant big. She and Sweeney are potentially among the most lethal tandems in the section.

“We’ve been playing together since CYO, so we already have the chemistry,” said Kennedy, a Journal All-Star whose length at 5-foot-10 often creates mismatches at her position. “I think we’ll do well in the pick-and-roll and it’s always nice to have a go-to scoring option.”

Sweeney, similarly, praised Kennedy as an “excellent floor general” and called Brooks’ uptempo system and the five-out lineup a “great fit” for their talents.

Sweeney offered a glimpse of the skillset during a scrimmage last week against Red Hook, operating as a point-forward. She comfortably pushed the ball in transition, twice found teammates with long outlet passes for layups, and gave precise feeds to cutters. There was even a nifty between-the-legs bounce pass.

She also dominated in their season-opening win over Horace Greeley on Monday, racking up 29 points, 15 rebounds and four steals.

Her being a threat to score from the perimeter to the post draws the attention of defenses, so the playmaking has developed as an effective complement.

Brooke Matessino has made considerable strides as a shooter and will help space the floor. “Her ability to knock down shots,” Kennedy said, “will be huge for us.”

Nico Cuba is a skilled combo guard who showed promise last season as a freshman, and Megan Terralavoro and Bella Rosanio also figure to be key players, Brooks said.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve won, so we want that badly,” Kennedy said. “I think we have a chance right now to elevate the program and set a tone.”

The year away

Kennedy Catholic had courted Sweeney since she was in the eighth grade, when she showed potential as a soccer player, Mary Sweeney said of her daughter.

Gabby later gave up that sport, dedicating herself to basketball and, after an impressive sophomore season, more prep school offers came.

The allure, Gabby said, “was mainly academics.” She and her parents determined it would benefit her to be challenged more in the classroom during a “pivotal” junior year. Kennedy Catholic was the choice because the compound is only about 30 miles from her home, which allowed for a daily commute.

“She was thinking about prep school, but didn’t want to move away,” Mary Sweeney said. “It seemed like the best situation at the time.”

In some ways. But it required her to leave home at 6 o’clock each morning and, after classes and basketball practice, she often wouldn’t get back home until 10 p.m. Balancing the travel and basketball responsibilities while maintaining a 4.3 GPA with several advanced-placement classes was, well, about a challenging as it sounds.

But, Gabby said, that year served almost as a college prep course, previewing life as a Division I athlete. “It made me more disciplined and forced me to manage my time better,” she said.

On the court, she established herself as an all-state star, performing well against a competitive schedule that included some of the better private school teams in New York City.

It helped, of course, that she grew three inches. She honed her skills in practices and pickup games against the JFK boys team, getting accustomed to the physicality and athleticism, and finding ways to counter.

There also were the training sessions at home, weightlifting and practicing on the weekends with her dad. “I’m really fortunate to have him helping me,” Gabby said of Mike Sweeney, whose expertise as a physical therapist is also a benefit.

Gabby insisted she “made the most of the opportunity” and got what she needed to from prep school. With college plans already in place, she believed it made sense to spend the 12th grade in her hometown and graduate alongside her longtime friends.

“The recruiting process and the whole AAU circuit is tough,” Mary Sweeney said. “It’s been a rollercoaster and Gabby has been driven throughout and made a lot of sacrifices. I’m glad that it’s worked out and we’re incredibly proud of her.”

Given the growth in her game, John Jay is getting now a Gabby Sweeney version 2.0, complete with several system upgrades.

She has improved as a rebounder and transformed into a three-level scorer with a reliable outside shot. She can face up and drive, pull up in the mid-range and finish inside through contact. Combined, of course, with the size to operate in the post.

“She’s obviously very talented and can score in many ways,” Brooks said. “But what’s great is her unselfishness and her willingness to help make teammates better. They’re doing a great job of playing together and we’re starting to mesh.”

The Patriots will face stiff competition throughout the section, including local rivals Arlington and a Roy C. Ketcham squad that returned its core and is two seasons removed from a Class AA championship.

But there is a belief within that John Jay could vault itself into the class of contenders. With reason. It’s that’s more than just early-season optimism.

“We’ve still got a lot to improve on, but I expect us to continually get better,” Sweeney said. “We’re hungry and we want to win. It’s been a minute. We’ve been an underdog and now we want to be a team to beat.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Girls basketball: Sweeney, Kennedy combo will help John Jay contend