Suffield Academy Girls on the Be Seen Tour
The Be Seen Tour went back to Suffield Academy recently, this time to see the girls program, under the direction of longtime head coach Wayne Patterson.
This program has a storied history and long-standing tradition as a NEPSAC powerhouse in girls basketball.
They’ve produced numerous college athletes over the years, sending players on to both high-level basketball and academic programs.
This year, they’re graduating a pair of division I athletes including Quinnipiac bound Rose Caso, who was the best player on the floor when we watched, showing a well-rounded floor game with a textbook shot, ability to make plays with the ball, and even create for others.
The returners for the 2021-22 season will be led by future captain Hannah Van Dyke, a versatile wing who creates mismatch problems with her combination of size and skill, along with all the intangibles to impact the game in a variety of other ways.
Fellow junior Lauren Carey is another good shooter and smart point guard who will play an important leadership role next season as well.
Ellie Collier is a sophomore wing who hustles, plays good defense, and is capable of plugging a variety of holes in the line-up.
The freshman class appears to be loaded with a dynamic duo leading the way.
Keyvanna Bennett is already dominant for long stretches at a time. She can score inside the lane, finish with both hands, face-up and drive downhill with the basketball, and is also a good defender. As she continues to get more consistent and develop her shooting range, she could be the next top prospect to come out of this program.
Anya McMichael will be her running mate at the point for the next three years. She is fundamentally sound and skilled, but more than that, she’s a coach on the floor who keeps everyone organizing and involved while running the show.
Mave Curtain is another very talented freshman guard. She’s a shooter and scorer who has an early knack for putting the ball in the basket and clear long-term potential.
Gianna Strange is a versatile frontcourt player who can produce in the post or stretch the floor with her shooting range.
Reeghan McCarthy is an aggressive lefty guard who will also be a four-year varsity player alongside Norah Wright.
Together, these girls pride themselves on playing hard and playing smart…and when you do those things and have this type of talent, the banners keep going on the wall, with presumably more to come in the next few years.