'We're starting from scratch': All eyes on St. John Vianney girls basketball heading into SCT
BELMAR – As the girls basketball Shore Conference Tournament is nearing, reigning champ St. John Vianney has been having an interesting journey up to this point.
On Wednesday evening, No. 5 SJV defeated No. 4 St. Rose 81-69 - the Purple Roses were a team that was on a three-game win streak, all against teams in the Shore Top 10. As for the Lancers, their tough schedule has left them with multiple losses to out-of-state powers but overall they're 15-6.
Daniella Matus as a junior transfer from Morris Catholic is new to the Shore Conference but she said her teammates told her the importance of being crowned the league's tournament champions.
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The SCT will be seeded Sunday.
Matus, who led the Lancers with 18 points, said, "The seeding and everything, we’re just excited to get the Shore Conference and we haven’t had the best season so far… when we play with heart and focus on the things that matter we’re a really good team.”
Opposing teams haven been coming at St. John Vianney with their best all year; probably moreso when the tournament starts.
“It’s tough, they all go at it because they’re all from the Shore and are enemies, so we’ll see how it goes,” Matus said.
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Aside from Matus, Vianney has other new faces since last year’s tournament run.
“We’re starting from scratch,” said SJV head coach Dawn Karpell. “Obviously some of them were here last year but a lot of them weren’t, so it’s a brand new crew. So we need to feel each game out and get better.”
The Lancers certainly found their offensive stride on Wednesday, scoring their second-most points in a single game this season. SJV hit seven three-pointers and scored over 20 points in three out of four quarters.
Madison Kocis and Aleena Dinker each had 13 points in the backcourt. Four SJV players scored in the double digits. Although SJada Lynch dropped 30 for St. Rose (15-5), SJV is hoping to carry the hot streak into the postseason with only two games left.
“This is probably one of the better offensive games we’ve played all season as far as moving the ball, and getting into the matchups we wanted to get to," Karpell said. "Overall huge win getting into tournament time coming up.”
St. John Vianney has won a record 16 SCTs. Here's our analysis of where the team stands heading into this year's tournament:
St. John Vianney Lancers: What's their strength?
The Lancers have the most depth in the Shore Conference. Against St. Rose, eight SJV players scored for the team, all of them scoring meaningful baskets. They play a fast-paced style with a lot of running which means players are rotated frequently but the level of play doesn’t dip.
Players such as junior Brooklyn Taylor and sophomores Madison Kocis and Stella Lockhart each come off the bench and made big impacts.
“It’s really everyone,” said sophomore post player Taylor Sofilkanich on teammates contributing. “Everyone who goes out there really just wants to play their best and play as hard as they can for as much time as they’re out there.”
Offensive tendencies
The Lancers have twin towers in 6-foot-4 Sofilkanich and 6-foot-1 Lockhart; they’re used efficiently down low. SJV likes to use a lot of off-ball screen action while trying to get an entry pass to Sofilkanich down low to finish it around the rim. If the entry pass isn’t there, talented guards like Matus find cutters on the back screen, or they take their defender off the dribble. SJV still has accurate shooters in Julia Karpell, Matus, Charlotte Bradley, and Kocis. To put it simple: SJV can score on three levels on the floor.
A lot of times it starts with getting the ball to their bigs down low - but the post players attract so much attention that a perimeter shooter is usually left open.
“They make it easy,” said Matus on playing with Sofilkanich and Lockhart. “They’re real good at using their body and when they get in there they’re super strong, physical, and get a lot of and-1’s and they recognize when they have three or four players on them to kick it out to the shooters.”
“I love playing against her, she’s a really good player, she can literally shoot from anywhere and make it, it makes me really good at defense,” said Sofilkanich on playing with Lockhart in practice.
Defensive tendencies
When Sofilkanich is in the game, the Lancers like to play a 2-2-1 full-court zone that eventually turns into a 2-3 zone at halfcourt. When she’s not in, SJV will often play man-to-man, but will typically pickup full court. Based on personnel and matchups, they’ll change up the look on defense. Sometimes they trap the ball handler on the sidelines. Aleena Dinker may be their best on-ball defender in the back court. Bradley is solid too and can defend multiple positions.
“Charlotte Bradley, she was guarding Jada on the other team, their best player,” said Matus on key players for their team. “And Aleena, she’s been working her way, she’s been starting the past few games and she always plays hard and I think that matters most.”
Final say: Still among the Shore's top dogs
Against some of the top talent in the country is when SJV’s youth shows the most, but they’re still top dogs in the Shore Conference and deserve to be treated as such.
“When you travel and go out, we play a lot of different styles of play,” said Karpell. “We love to do that and challenge ourselves cause when comes tournament time we seen a lot of different looks.”
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: St. John Vianney girls basketball beats St. Rose as Shore Conference nears
