As Basketball Season Nears End, Bruin Girls Are Ascending

Broadneck’s girls basketball team isn’t having everything their own way all the time. With a young squad, mistakes are bound to happen as part of the growth process.

But prolonged stretches of mistakes are growing fewer and further between, which has head coach Juan McKinney and his crew in a good place as the season progresses.

After starting the season 3-3, the Bruins are now 10-5 and looking toward the postseason with a steady center and a guard line growing in experience to go with athleticism.

The whole season was on display in the team’s 45-38 win over Northeast, giving equal parts cause for optimism and food for thought.

“We were up 10 going into halftime, and then suddenly it was down to four. We challenged the guards at halftime to move the ball more and continue to run our offense,” McKinney said.

They answered the call, stretching the lead back to 11 early in the fourth quarter on big 3-pointers from Kileigh Perkins and Ellie Wagner. Then the team went barren for nearly six minutes, but they played tough defense to deny the interior and keep Northeast at bay.

The steadying presence of senior center Makayla Kropfelder, the team’s only senior, gave Broadneck an anchor to settle in. And as she has done multiple times this season, Kropfelder rose to the occasion.

“I don’t feel like it’s added pressure (being the only senior),” she said. “I just love basketball. I love scoring, I love rebounding, I love blocking shots. … It’s been so fun to watch and participate in this team, to see everyone grow and come together.”

Winners of five of their last six, the Bruins turned their attention to a rematch with Annapolis on February 9. The two teams battled in early January with the Panthers winning 56-23, in a game McKinney said the Bruins did not play to their usual standard.

After the Annapolis game comes a rematch with Severna Park on February 13, in addition to games against Southern, Crofton and Arundel.

With the games growing short, the message stays the same: be consistent.

“We are just looking for consistency,” McKinney said. “Continue to work hard, work our offense, and just be consistent.”