Role Players Big in West Deptford Girls' Basketball's Playoff Win

In preparation for the girls’ basketball team's first home playoff game in over two decades, head coach J McKeown did his best to drum up support for the game.

And though no one would compare his proclamation to that of Joe Namath or Mark Messier, the fifth-year coach did make a promise to some of his young students.

“I had some kids from my fourth grade come and it was great,” McKeown said. “I told them in class, ‘You have to come, because we are going to win.’”

McKeown was right, but he certainly couldn’t have predicted the way it would go down.

With Megan Kirschling suffering an ankle injury in the first half and Tarryn Bundy saddled with foul trouble, it was the Eagles’ role players that stepped up big in No. 7 West Deptford’s 49-28 win over No. 10 Deptford.

Point guard Megan Knoblock and forward Paige Paratore each set career highs in scoring, depositing 12 points each to keep the Spartans out of arm’s reach throughout the contest. West Deptford will next face No. 2 Middle Township on Thursday.

“We had some troubles in the beginning with Tarryn getting in foul trouble and Megan Kirschling getting injured, but we are hoping to get her back, and there is no reason we can’t continue on,” said Knoblock, who added five assists. “We think that we have every chance.”

Three of Knoblock’s assists came on baskets from Paratore. A starter all season, Paratore rarely shoots more than a couple of times a game. However, she found a rhythm early against Deptford and showed great touch on mid-range buckets.

“The shots were open, so I took them, and once I made a couple, I just got more confidence to shoot more,” Paratore said. “It feels awesome. This is our first home playoff game since like 1990, and it felt great to win.”

“Paige had another great game,” Knoblock said. “She has been practicing hard and it paid off. Now we have another key shooter that other teams have to focus on. We are just an altogether well-rounded team right now.”

West Deptford trailed 8-6 after the first four minutes of the game, but went on a 14-0 run that extended into the second quarter to grab the lead for good. The lead was never threatened as the Eagles led between 10 and 21 for the remainder of the contest.

The only downside for the team came midway through the second quarter, when Kirschling left the game after rolling her ankle. She returned briefly to start the second half, but with the game in hand, McKeown elected to rest Kirschling for the final 14 minutes in hopes of having her back healthy on Thursday.

In her place, reserves Gabby Minnite and Michelle Bower stepped in and had solid contributions. Minnite had four points and a pair of blocks, while Bower connected on the first shot she attempted.

“All those young kids stepped up,” McKeown said. “Minnite, Bower, Paratore, Knoblock all got it done. They don’t get a lot of game time, but they play a lot in practice, and people don’t realize that they are guarding Kirschling and Danielle in practice.

“They are game-ready, and you just knew they could do it, because you see them in practice do it.”

Knoblock said with Kirschling out the rest of the players knew their roles would have to increase.

"I knew it was my time to step up and make some of the key passes,” she said. “Gabby and Michelle, the two (forwards), came in and they really made an impact for us.”

Bundy finished with 12 points and Danielle McKeown had seven for West Deptford, which won its seventh-straight game.