By: John Knebels
Videos: Kathy Leister
PHILADELPHIA – Like virtually everyone these days, Little Flower freshman Gabby Dever has been finding projects to keep herself busy. Schoolwork . . . communicating with friends . . . Netflix . . . shooting baskets in her back yard.
It’s the latter activity that generated a smile-worthy recall – the moment Dever solidified a spot on the Sentinels’ varsity basketball team this past November.
“I had no idea if I would make the team or which team I would be placed on if I did,” said Dever. “I went into tryouts like everyone else fighting for a spot on the team. I gave it my all in tryouts and really wanted to show the coaches that I wanted to play.”
Then the “made-it” list was posted outside the locker room. Various players hovered around checking it out. After weeks of intense practice, the moment of truth had arrived.
Power up the cell phone . . . the frosh had successfully defied the odds.
“I was so happy that I went into the bathroom, called my dad, and cried,” said Dever. “I was so honored and excited for the opportunity that I was given.”
Before long, Dever was anointed as the starting varsity point guard, remarkable considering the former dancer had only started playing seriously in seventh grade for the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) team at St. George’s School in Port Richmond (her parish, Mother of Divine Grace, did not have offer girls’ basketball).
Gabby Dever talks about her family's love of basketball, playing for Little Flower and involvement in Autism Speaks. (PSD Video by Kathy Leister)
Little Flower coach Maureen Buchter, a 1976 Little Flower graduate and four-year basketball player, needed to be convinced that Dever could handle such an enormous responsibility before presenting her the reins to basketball’s most prestigious position.
The results supported Buchter’s assessment. Despite a barrage of injuries that cost them significant womanpower, the competitive Sentinels finished fourth in the Catholic League Blue Division and qualified for the playoffs. They lost to the Red Division’s sixth-place Bonner Prendergast, which would ultimately reach the Class 4A state quarterfinals before play was suspended because of the COVID-19 coronavirus that has rocked the world this month.
“Gabby entered Little Flower as if she belonged here from day one,” said Buchter. “As a coach, it’s very difficult to take a freshman and put them up on the varsity level. In fact, I’m usually very much against it. But without a shadow of a doubt, she deserves to be where she is.”
Little Flower Head Coach Maureen Buchter says Dever's confidence as a freshman is prevalent both on and off the court. (PSD Video by Kathy Leister)
It wasn’t enough that Dever matched court wits with her adversaries. Intangibles matter in basketball perhaps more than other sport.
“She fits in,” said Buchter. “She’s gifted with an engaging personality. She leads by example both on and off the court. She’s a wonderful girl. She’s extremely confident, which you need to be as a point guard, and she takes an awful lot of criticism from me and comes back for more every day.
“I’m looking forward to her running the point for the next few years, and I hope her dream of playing at the Palestra can come true.”
On the court, Dever averaged about six points, five assists, two rebounds, and two steals. Off the court, her admiration continued to blossom, as she was voted by her peers as a homeroom representative.
As for her teammates, Dever admitted she was “nervous if I would fit in at first,” but the Sentinels’ motto of “Five Become One” wasn’t just a frivolous philosophy, but the real deal.
Senior co-captain Natalie O’Neill appreciated Dever’s diligence, fortitude, and collegiality.
“She brings something special to the team,” said O’Neill. “The coaches threw her into the fire from the start and she handled her own. The determination to get better every day cannot be taught. She has heart for the game that will take her a long way. Her future is very bright.”
Little Flower freshman theology teacher Maureen Gillespie extolled her student.
“She’s a natural leader,” said Gillespie. “She’s mature and grounded. She’s a hard worker. Respectful, funny . . . a true Little Flower girl.”
Dever’s love of hoops and uncommon maturity can be attributed to her family.
With no embellishment, basketball subsists inside the Dever clan’s DNA. Her father, John, played hoops at North Catholic, graduating in 1983 as a second-team All-Catholic. Her uncle, Bill Dever, was a key member of the famous North Catholic junior varsity team that replaced the suspended varsity in the 1968 quarterfinals at the Palestra, and then stunned Bishop McDevitt, 77-60. Then a sophomore, Bill Dever started at point guard and scored nine points while adding a boatload of unofficially tallied assists, then played briefly in a heartbreaking 51-49 semifinal loss to Cardinal O’Hara on a buzzer-beater by Lou Ferro.
Her aunt, Geraldine Dever, was a two-time, first-team All-Catholic at John W. Hallahan (Class of ’73). Another uncle, Ed Dever, is a former coach at Hallahan. Her brother Joe – younger by only 10 months – just finished a stint on the freshman team at Roman Catholic.
“It’s an honor for me to be on the court and spread the legacy,” said Dever. “The love of the sport definitely helps keep us together.”
For almost two decades, Dever’s family has conducted an annual beef-and-beer event that benefits “Autism Speaks,” an organization that raises money to aid medical research and, arguably more importantly, spreads awareness that people diagnosed with autism – a developmental disorder – live extremely productive lives.
Gabby pictured between her brothers Richie and Joseph at the Autism Speaks walk - photo courtesy of the Dever family.
“I contribute in any way I can,” said Dever. “My parents do a great job with it. The work they do is incredible. It’s a great event. And I love seeing everybody come out and support such an amazing cause.”
Dever has also served as an assistant coach for the Port Richmond Tigers’ seven-and-eight-year-old travel team.
“I learned patience,” said Dever. “I was one of those little kids playing basketball at one point. It’s nice to see kids go out and dedicate to a sport. When you’re that little kid, you really don’t see the love in it. But when you sit back coaching and watch the kids play, it makes you love the game even more.”
Like so many other scholastic athletes, Dever had planned to play a spring sport – in her case, lacrosse – but the coronavirus COVID-19 has put those plans on hold. She feels very badly for the six Catholic League basketball teams that have reached the PIAA state quarterfinals but are in imminent danger of having the remainder of their season cancelled.
However, Dever remains hopeful.
“I think my thoughts would be in a million places for sure if stuck in the thought of ‘what if,’” said Dever. “I’m really fighting for our Catholic League girls to pull through for us. They are all very talented young ladies who lay it out on the court.
“I’ve had the opportunity to play against Archbishop Wood, Archbishop Carroll, Lansdale Catholic, and Bonner-Prendergast this year, and they work hard. I got to go to the semifinals between Wood and Cardinal O’Hara, and also the Catholic League championship at the Palestra between West Catholic and Wood. I got to see the fire and intensity from those girls. I’d love to see all those teams do well.”
Next winter, Dever (No. 13) will be a seasoned sophomore at Little Flower with hopes of making it to the Catholic League championship at the Palestra - PSD Photo by Kathy Leister.
The global pandemic that continues to provoke fear and uncertainly, said Dever, has imparted unwanted, but necessary, lessons.
“We have learned that we can’t take things for granted,” she said. “It certainly teaches us we can have a national crisis at any time. We know now that we should all pay attention to these alerts we receive and take them seriously.”
In the meantime, happy memories come off the bench to give our concerned minds a breather.
(Contact John Knebels at jknebels@gmail.com or on Twitter @johnknebels.)