By: Marc Narducci
PHILADELPHIA - There is a new look this season in Atlantic-10 women’s basketball and from a travel standpoint, it is bound to benefit the league’s two Philadelphia Universities, La Salle and Saint Joseph’s.
Barring any crazy traffic, it’s about an hour’s drive for each school. The key question for St. Joe's and La Salle is how long a ride they will have once the tourney begins.
First, the particulars of the tournament.
When first-round action begins on March 2, it will mark just the eighth time in the 40-year history of the A-10 postseason tournament that it will take place at a neutral site.
The Richmond Coliseum was the most recent neutral site host from 2014 through 2018.
This year’s tournament will be staged at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware. The 2,500-seat arena is the home of the 76ers’ G League affiliate the Delaware Blue Coats.
It is a great place to watch a game, where there is not a bad seat in the house.
“I think it’s great that the A-10 tournament will be near us,” said St. Joe's graduate student guard Katie Jekot, who averaged 9.6 points last season when she earned second-team All-Big 5 honors. “That will be very special to us.”
According to Atlantic-10 commissioner Bernadette McGlade, the A-10 has a multi-year contract for two years with Chase Fieldhouse with the option to renew and extend for a third year.
"Chase really brought together a lot of plusses on the plus side of the ledger," McGlade said. "And hopefully we are going to make it be very successful."
What would be even more special is if both St. Joe's and La Salle could enjoy an extended stay in the tournament. While neither is listed among the favorites in the 14-team conference, they both have experienced teams that could be highly competitive.
In the preseason Atlantic-10 poll, La Salle was picked eighth and St. Joe's 10.
So, both teams enter the season with similar resumes – teams that have experience, are picked just past the middle of the pack and with a break or two could make some noise.
Jekot was the Hawks second leading scorer behind 5-10 junior Kaliah Henderson, also a second-team All-Big 5 choice. Henderson averaged 11.4 points and 4.9 rebounds.
Henderson, who did not attempt a three-pointer last season, worked on her range in the off-season. She also made D a focus of her off-season workouts.
“Actually, defensively I wasn’t at my best , I could be better and that was my main focus,” she said.
One player who help inside is 6-2 junior Gabby Smalls, who averaged a team-high 6.9 rebounds in just 20.3 minutes.
Adding to the experienced group is 6-0 graduate student Alayna Gribble, who was third on the team in scoring averaging 8.2 points.
St. Joe's has a nice blend of youth and experience. Coach Cindy Griffin welcomes five freshmen, including a familiar face – her daughter 5-7 guard Kaylie Griffin from Gwynedd Mercy Academy
“Being able to coach my daughter is a wonderful thing, to be able to see her every day in a competitive environment but also watch her grow, in a college environment is something that I’m very grateful for, but also I value very highly” Cindy Griffin said.
The newcomers will give the Hawks tremendous depth.
St. Joe's graduate student guard Katie Jekot earned Second-Team All-Big 5 honors last season. (photo credit/Greg Carroccio, Sideline Photos)
St. Joe's head coach Cindy Griffin in Big 5 game vs. Temple Univ. (photo credit/Greg Carroccio, Sideline Photos)
For La Salle’s fourth year head coach Mountain MacGillivray, there has been steady progression that he hopes continues.
He came after serving as an assistant for nine seasons at Quinnipiac, under Tricia Fabbri. In four of his final five seasons, Quinnipiac qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
MacGillivray, a former high school coach at Archbishop Carroll, inherited a team that went 8-22 at La Salle. His first season the Explorers went 6-25 but then were 13-17 in 2019-20 and 12-14 last season.
“I think every season we have taken a step forward,” MacGillivray said. “Maybe we are walking instead of running in that direction but I like the direction that we’re going and looking to take another jump this year.”
That jump will be led by Claire Jacobs, a 6-0 junior guard from Perth, Australia, who averaged 16.3 points and shot 80.3 percent from the foul line.
The second of La Salle’s dynamic scoring duo is Kayla Spruill, a 6-0 senior guard-forward who averaged 15 points and shot 42.3 percent from three-point range.
Spruill has been named to the Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference Second Team and Jacobs to the Preseason All-Conference Third Team.
This is a group that can fill it up and do so in an entertaining way.
“We play really aggressively, we play really fast together,” Jacobs said. “I think that is the big thing for us, that people know we’re always supportive of each other and that we want to win. We’re going to push each other in the game to do that.”
One person doing much of the pushing will be a local product, Molly Masciantonio, a 5-10 senior from Archbishop Carroll. Masciantonio began her college career at Division II Holy Family and after sitting out a season due to NCAA transfer rules, averaged 7.7 points, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals last season for La Salle.
After a year in the program, she will have the ball in her hand much more, directing the offense as the Explorers’ point guard.
“She has been absolutely fantastic,” MacGillivray said. “The other day in a scrimmage she had 13 assists in a 40-minute period.”
That is some serious dishing.
“She is making things happen, seeing her teammates and it is the first time she’s done it in this system,” MacGillivray said. “So she gets more and more comfortable used to where everybody is going to be, just really looking to blossom there.”
La Salle junior guard Claire Jacobs currently leads the Explorers with an average of 16.3 points. (photo credit/Greg Carroccio Sideline Photos)
La Salle senior forward Kayla Spruill along with Jacobs will provide an offensive force for the Explorers. (photo credit/Greg Carroccio Sideline Photos)
Both teams have justified optimism in the preseason as each hopes their postseason stay in Delaware will be a long one.
LA SALLE
Coach: Mountain MacGillivray (4th season at La Salle, 31-56)
Last season: 12-14, 7-10 A-10.
A-10 Preseason Poll: No. 8
Catholic League/Inter-Ac Alumni: Erin Morgan is a senior guard from Archbishop Wood. Molly Masciantonio, a senior guard from Archbishop Carroll and a transfer from Holy Family, averaged 7.7 points last season. Jaye Haynes is a sophomore guard from Germantown Academy, who appeared in 25 games and averaged 3.1 points.
Opener: Nov. 9 vs. Coppin State, 5.
Big 5 matchups: Nov. 30 at Penn, 7; Dec. 21 vs. Villanova, 1; Dec. 29 at Temple, noon; Jan. 17 at St. Joe's, TBA;
Outlook: The Explorers were shown some respect in the preseason poll and could finish higher than the preseason projection. La Salle welcomes back its top three returning scorers – Claire Jacobs (16.3 ppg.), Kayla Spruill (15.0 ppg.) and Molly Masciantonio (7.7 ppg.) - so the offense should be strong. If there is more consistency on defense, La Salle should at the minimum have a winning season and is a team that can’t be overlooked in the A-10 Tournament.
SAINT JOSEPH’S
Coach: Cindy Griffin (21st season at SJU, 337-277)
Last season: 7-10, 5-9 A-10.
A-10 Preseason Poll: No. 10
Catholic League/Inter-Ac Alumni: Mary Sheehan, graduate student guard, Cardinal O’Hara, who appeared in 17 games with 11 starts.
Opener: Nov. 9 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore, 5.
Big 5 matchups: Nov. 20 vs. Villanova, 3; Dec. 7 at Penn, 7; Dec. 11 at Temple, noon; Jan. 17 vs. La Salle, TBA;
Outlook: The Hawks have a veteran group led by Kaliah Henderson (11.4 ppg.) and Katie Jekot (9.6 ppg.) so that is a good start. With an impressive group of freshmen, the Hawks certainly could produce a winning record and by March, should be a team nobody relishes meeting the A-10 Tournament.