The 2021-2022 Granby Memorial High School girls basketball season was pretty spectacular. It began long before the first official practice in late November, as the team of 19 began weight and agility training in July 2021 and played in a pre-season league to sharpen skills. Alongside the physical training, the girls spent bonding time together, including a successful annual golf tournament, team dinners and time setting goals for the season.
The team is managed by head coach Mike D’Angelo, assisted by Katie Fijolek and Ray Matthews. The varsity team included seniors Kayla Davis, Maeve Dingley, Katie Murach, Savannah Rijkse and Elizabeth Squier; juniors Alayla Bolduc, Kenzie Garceau and Fem Jansen; sophomores Madeleine Bennett, Alyssa Bordonaro, Clare Heinze and Zoe Kelly. Rijkse, Jansen and Bordonaro received All-Conference honors.
The coaching staff focuses on development of relationships and trust, followed by basketball skill development. High school basketball is enhanced by Granby recreational and travel programs for younger players. A basketball camp is run by the high school team and coaches during the April school break and for two weeks in the summer. Camps teach player skills, while providing a fun atmosphere.
The Lady Bears started the winter season with two games over two nights in the Farmington Valley Tip-off Tournament sponsored by Simsbury High School. Canton, Avon and Granby participated.
COVID cases on the rise in late December disrupted the schedule. Players, coaches and parents relished each game, fearing it could be the last, but thankfully the regular season continued uninterrupted.
The team’s motto is #ALLIN. Anyone who has watched a game could see this in action. The girls believe in each other and the coaches and have each others’ backs. There were two weeks in the season when weather and/or COVID necessitated four games each week. At the end of those weeks, you could see the girls’ energy wane, but they dug deep and found a way to pick each other up.
The team finished the regular Northwest Central Connecticut Conference season 16-4 and 12-1. During this time, the team made Granby history, not once, but twice! First, after two overtimes, the Lady Bears came out on top 36-34 in a home game with Somers, securing regular season first place in the conference for the first time! After a well-deserved celebration, the team quickly turned its attention to the goal of winning the conference championship.
Granby enjoyed home court advantage throughout the NCCC conference tournament though the road ahead included tough opponents Suffield, Bolton and Canton. Granby beat Suffield 46-34, and Bolton 36-23.
Prior to this season, Granby had not won a game against Canton for nine years, but on February 24, it made history again by beating them 52-44! Rijkse was named Tournament MVP and Davis was named to the All-tournament Team.
Thanks to a snow day, the girls had an extra day of rest prior to returning to practice to prepare for a run at the state championship. The girls were seeded number nine in Class M, and hosted Capital Prep, winning 59-28 over an unfortunately understaffed visiting team.
On March 4, the Lady Bears traveled over 70 miles south to New Fairfield, where, unfortunately, they came up short, ending their post season to a very strong home team, 48-18. There were tears on the court and in the stands in that gym that night, yet there was acknowledgement of the accomplishments achieved by the Granby girls.
What the scoreboard didn’t show, during the season, was the incredible defense that kept the team in every game, even when the shots weren’t falling. Congratulations, Lady Bears, for a great season!