Fox Chapel girls focus on camaraderie in bid to clear playoff hurdle

By: Jerin Steele
Friday, November 15, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Several ill-timed injuries over the last two seasons have hindered the Fox Chapel girls basketball team in their pursuit of making the playoffs.

The Foxes have been narrowly on the outside looking in, missing by one game in 2022-23 and two games in 2023-24, but the hope is they possess the right mix of experience, youth and cohesiveness to get over the hump this year.

Fox Chapel has four players returning with starting experience and 14 incoming freshmen who will help whether it’s on varsity or JV.

“Being healthy will be important, but so will team camaraderie,” Foxes coach Marty Matvey said. “We made a big investment into that in the offseason, especially since we have 14 newcomers. We didn’t want groups where it’s our seniors, our juniors, our sophomores and our freshmen. We wanted to make sure that they treat each other the same because we’re going to rely on our freshmen to step up and do things freshmen don’t normally do.

“The only way they can feel confident that they can do that is if they have the support of their teammates. Having a cohesive team that supports each other through thick and thin is important. Some kids might be too cool for that, but not this group. They are one of the most coachable groups I’ve had, and I think that intangible will help us.”

Junior point guard Lyla Jablon and seniors Bella Urso and Natalia Schaffer are returners who were full-time starters last season.

“Those three have been the core for us the last couple of years, really,” Matvey said.

Taylor Stocker started a handful of games as a freshman last year.

Jablon has been starting since she was a freshman. Urso was the team’s leading scorer. Shaffer is one of the tallest players on the team at 5-foot-8 and provides a forward presence along with Stocker.

Shay Pick and Adina Rosen, who are seniors, bring experience and grit to the team.

Emily McKee, one of top WPIAL girls soccer players and goal scorers, is out for the team.

A couple of the freshmen who figure to make an immediate impact are Bailey Sacco and Ella Shevchuk.

Shevchuk qualified for the PIAA cross country meet.

“Bailey is a lefty that’s really crafty and has that “it” factor,” Matvey said. “I think she’ll push to start. Ella reminds me of the girls I had at South Park where she has a motor that just goes. We implement a diamond half-press that I call “havoc” that I took off Shaka Smart years ago when we were really small (at South Park). Ella can do exactly that at the top of the press — cause havoc. She’ll help us a lot this year.”

Fox Chapel will open its season at the Freeport Tournament on Dec. 6-7.

The Foxes are in Section 1-5A with Armstrong, Franklin Regional, Gateway, Penn Hills, Plum and Shaler.

Fox Chapel girls at a glance

Coach: Marty Matvey

Last year’s record: 6-16 (2-10 Section 2-5A)

Returning starters: Lyla Jablon (Jr., G), Bella Urso (Sr., G), Natalia Schaffer (Sr., F), Taylor Stocker (So., G/F)

Top newcomers: Bailey Sacco (Fr., G), Ella Shevchuk (Fr., G)

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer

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