Freeport girls banking on experience to return to playoffs

By: John Grupp
Friday, November 21, 2025 | 12:01 AM

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Experience means everything for the Freeport girls basketball team.

Second-year coach Jason Kerr says whatever his youthful team went through during last year’s 6-17 season — good and bad — will be valuable moving forward.

“Everything that happened last year, regardless of score and record, was important,” Kerr said. “They played key section games for the first time, close games, intense games, and then went into the playoffs. You can’t replicate that experience.”

Freeport returns all five starters from last season’s team, which rebounded from a 1-8 start to sneak into the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs. The season ended with a first-round loss to No. 5 seed Beaver, but the Yellowjackets made progress while breaking in an all-new starting lineup.

“Basically, everyone on our team was playing meaningful varsity minutes for the first time,” Kerr said. “I would say they learned and consumed a ton of information and knowledge, and it showed in the end. I think this year you will see that be a big help.”

This year is starting a little late for some of the players.

Six of them, including four of Kerr’s top seven players, were part of the school’s first WPIAL Class 2A champion girls soccer team, which advanced to the PIAA semifinals and ended play Nov. 11.

“Yesterday we only had a couple of people at practice,” junior guard Lilly Holloway said Nov. 5, the day after the soccer team’s PIAA first-round victory. “But they still try to show up whenever they can, and I definitely wouldn’t be surprised if the soccer girls came back and were automatically ready to be into basketball.”

Said Kerr, “We should be fine. We’ve still been able to do everything we want to do. I’m not really worried about it. It’s nice that we have enough girls now so we can absorb that better than in the past. We wouldn’t have been able to really handle that in the past.”

Senior point guard Nia DiSanti, one of the soccer team’s postseason heroes, returns after averaging 8.0 points last season. Other returning starters are Holloway (8.0 ppg), senior forward Jaisa Gaillot, junior guard Macy Stivenson and sophomore guard Maggie Conger.

Team chemistry isn’t a concern. Kerr said last season, his first as coach, “was one of the most enjoyable years I’ve ever had.”

“All of the girls liked each other,” he said. “They worked together. They enjoyed being around one another. That growth was nice to see.”

Playing in a section that includes defending WPIAL Class 4A champion Oakland Catholic and perennial power North Catholic, the Yellowjackets are keeping realistic expectations. They are focused on things they can control.

“I think our defense has definitely improved, and we are really starting to work together and come together as a team,” Holloway said. “We want to be super intense on defense and keep it the whole game.”

The Yellowjackets’ offseason included the Fox Chapel Summer League, a three-day team camp at Cal (Pa.) in late July, and three games at the Seneca Valley Shootout on Nov. 1.

Kerr said the overnight team camp at Cal (Pa.) was beneficial, on and off the court.

“It was a good time,” he said. “They got to play a bunch (of games) and do a number of other things. It wasn’t just playing (basketball). The girls had fun. It was an overall great experience, for sure.”

Freeport girls at a glance

Coach: Jason Kerr

Last year’s record: 6-17 (5-9 Section 1-4A)

Returning starters: Nia DiSanti (Sr., G), Jaisa Gaillot (Sr., G), Lilly Holloway (Jr., G), Macy Stivenson (Jr., G), Maggie Conger (So., G)

Others to watch: CeCe Schlegel (So., G), Elena Jenkins (So., F)

Top newcomers: Sydney Reiser (Fr., G), Kealey Reiser (Fr., G), Sophia Glass (So., G)

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

12.2, Keystone Oaks, 7:30 p.m.

12.5, TBD^, TBD

12.6, TBD^, TBD

12.9, at Aquinas Academy, 7:30 p.m.

12.11, at Derry*, 7:30 p.m.

12.15, at North Catholic*, 7:30 p.m.

12.16, Riverview, 7:30 p.m.

12.18, Oakland Catholic*, 7:30 p.m.

12.23, Valley*, 7:30 p.m.

12.30, at Clarion-Limestone, 7:30 p.m.

1.5, at Burrell*, 7:30 p.m.

1.8, Highlands*, 7:30 p.m.

1.12, at Knoch*, 7:30 p.m.

1.15, Derry*, 7:30 p.m.

1.18, at Mercer, 1:30 p.m.

1.19, North Catholic*, 7:30 p.m.

1.22, at Oakland Catholic*, 7:30 p.m.

1.26, at Valley*, 7:30 p.m.

1.29, Burrell*, 7:30 p.m.

2.2, at Highlands*, 7:30 p.m.

2.5, Knoch*, 7:30 p.m.

2.9, Deer Lakes, 7:30 p.m.

*Section game

^Freeport tip-off tournament

Tags: Freeport