Florida Catholic | Bishop Moore Girls Basketball Title Win Is Bittersweet

Bishop Moore girls basketball title win is bittersweet

DEBRA TOMASELLI | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Published: 03.07.08

Bishop Moore High School’s Lindsay Silva defends against Pensacola High School’s Bianca Lutley during Bishop Moore’s 55–39 win in the state 4–A girls basketball championship game.
Courtesy Photo

ORLANDO | Mourning the death of a schoolmate and remembering their team’s four years of playoff losses, Bishop Moore High School girls varsity basketball team hit the floor running against undefeated Pensacola High Feb. 23 in the finals in Lakeland, determined to win the Class 4–A state championship. And they did.

For the past four years, the team had made it to the prestigious championship playoffs only to see the ultimate goal slip away.

Moreover, the players were reaching for victory on behalf of their student body, which was mourning the loss of classmate Kelly Erin Reen, a Bishop Moore sophomore who died in a car accident earlier that week.

Buses chartered to transport students to the Lakeland playoffs Feb. 21 were canceled in light of the Feb. 17 tragedy. School was closed Feb. 22, allowing classmates stunned by the loss to attend Kelly’s funeral. The basketball team competed in the state finals Feb. 23.

“We pray before and after our games, and we understand that God is first and foremost,” said Shekinah Brazzle, coach of the Hornets. “We trust she’s (Kelly) in a better place. God blessed us to know her and it motivated us to play our best.”

On the court, the Hornets took immediate control.

They dribbled, tossed quick layups, grabbed rebounds, blocked passes and charged the opponents. Repeatedly, Lindsey Watson, a junior, raced down the court and scored, bobbing and weaving through the opponents.

“We pretty much played hard defense in the beginning,” said Sarah Blackburn, a sophomore on the team. “We pushed the ball and got a lot of points.”

The crowd of Hornets fans, a sea of black and gold, were jumping up and down, screaming and applauding. At the end of the first quarter, Bishop Moore led 20-2.

In the second half, Jennifer George, center, grabbed a rebound. Opponents double-teamed her, but Jennifer, elbows high, kept the ball out of reach, cleared some space, and passed to another teammate who scored. “We had more experience this year,” said Caitlin Cowart, a junior who played varsity basketball for three years. “We just played hard. The coach told us to work hard and if we work hard, good things will happen.”

With only seconds remaining, Chandler McCabe, a senior, knew the Hornets had clinched their win over Pensacola High. She tossed the ball into the air as the closing buzzer sounded. The final score: 55-39.

“It felt good,” Chandler said. “We had commitment and teamwork and drive. Everyone really wanted this win. We finally accomplished our goal.”

But Chandler grasped a bigger lesson.

“Friends can be like family, and teammates can help you both off and on the court,” she said. She donned her warm-up jacket, revealing a patch each team member wore for the game, depicting Kelly’s initials, KR.

“This (win) is for the Reen family,” added Brazzle. “We were united for something bigger than just basketball.”

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Bishop Moore girls basketball title win is bittersweet

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