PEABODY– When the Peabody girls basketball team concluded its season last winter, the Tanners saw 10 of the 14 players on their roster appear in their final high school game. This season’s team has just one returning starter in junior forward Catherine Manning.
Although Peabody has no shortage of vacancies to fill as the new season quickly approaches, Manning and the Tanners aren’t backing down from the challenge. In fact, they’re focused on building on last winter’s success.
“All the seniors from last season’s team were great players,” Manning, a three-sport athlete who also plays varsity soccer and lacrosse, said. “They really helped mold our team. We have a few more returning players so I’m hoping they can help us fill the gap left by those seniors. Our goal is to be as successful as we were last season.”
Peabody finished the 2016-2017 regular season at 13-7 and clinched the No. 11 seed in the Division 1 North state tournament. The Tanners bounced Waltham in the first round but fell short to Woburn in the quarterfinals.
After experiencing postseason basketball, Manning’s hopeful that Peabody can get back to the state tournament this winter.
“That’s one of the big goals this year, winning 10 games and getting into the state tournament,” Manning said. “That’s something we’re going to work hard for this season, getting those 10 wins and making the tournament again.”
Last season, Manning’s sophomore year, was her first on the varsity team. In 22 games, she posted averages of 5.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest while shooting 60 percent from the stripe. Manning also tallied 11 blocked shots and eight steals.
After playing with the junior varsity squad as a freshman, Manning came into the varsity tryouts hungry for a spot on the team. That’s where she made a positive first impression on Tanners coach Stan McKeen.
“Catherine played on the JV team her freshman season. Last year, she came to the varsity team after tryouts. She fit right in with the others girls and there was no question that she’d be a starter last season,” McKeen said.
Given that the Tanners have lost 10 seniors to graduation, including four starters, McKeen faces the challenge of replacing the bulk of last season’s scoring. He knows he’ll have to get creative with his playbook, but McKeen’s looking to rely on Manning’s skills in the paint as a reliable source of offense.
“I think Catherine’s going to be a big factor underneath for us,” McKeen said. “Next to Nene Onwuogu, she was our leading rebounder last season. As a coach, she’s the type of player that you want on your team because she listens. She’s a hard worker in practice and she sets out to be the best player she can be.”
McKeen will also rely on Manning to grow into a role model for the younger players on the team.
“I’m looking for her to be a leader when she’s on the court,” McKeen said. “She’s a great example for the rest of the players.
“Catherine’s a great kid, all the players love her on the team because she’s a team leader,” McKeen added. “She’s a kid that you’d want to build your team around, with her enthusiasm and her ability to focus.”
Last season also served as a learning experience for Manning. Being part of a senior-led team allowed Manning to take note of the intangibles required to build a winning season. She aims make good use of those notes this season.
“I learned a lot about teamwork and working together,” Manning said. “We were all really close together and we all helped one another when we needed to. I’m hoping that carries over into this season. I’d like for us to work together and focus on being one unit.
“My goals are to work together with my teammates and try to be a good role model for the younger girls on the team,” Manning added. “We have to work together well and gel together. Our goal is to become a family in order to be as successful as we were last year.”
Thus far, Manning likes what she has seen from her team in the preseason. The Tanners are a young group but day-by-day improvement, along with effort, will help their cause in reaching their tournament goal.
“I think we’re looking pretty good,” Manning said. ‘We have a young squad and not a lot of us have played together. During practices, we’ve been working hard every day. We’re trying to work hard and get better every day.”
Peabody opens the season tonight at Revere.
