After winning state title last winter, Gig Harbor girls basketball ready to turn the page

The offseason was a fun time for the Gig Harbor High School girls basketball team. After winning the 2018 Class 3A state title, knocking off Garfield in the championship game, Gig Harbor went on a bit of a victory tour, earning recognition from the city council, local businesses and restaurants.

The final nod to Gig Harbor’s magical season came in this year’s season opener on Nov. 27, when the team had a ring presentation ceremony before the game. Gig Harbor won that opener against Curtis, 51-40. Senior Brynna Maxwell, a University of Utah signee who is on track to leave the school with virtually ever record to her name, poured in 37 points in the win, a new single-game Tides record.

But there’s also an understanding that last season is last season. Those wins — as fun as they were — don’t mean anything now.

“The girls do understand this is a whole new season,” said coach Megan Murray. “We’re excited about what happened, and there has to be some takeaway and carryover coming into this season, as far as the expectations with where we want to get to.”

As fun as the months-long celebration has been, Maxwell said the players are ready to turn the page.

“That was last year,” she said. “It was amazing but this is a new season and a totally new team and we’re just ready to get going. We don’t know what’s going to happen but we can’t just keep thinking about the past.”

The biggest difference this year is the absence of Maddie Willett, a four-year starter for the Tides, who graduated in the spring and is currently playing for Cal Poly. Willett was part of Gig Harbor’s 1-2 punch the last three seasons, alongside Maxwell.

“She was an amazing scorer and rebounder,” Maxwell said. “You can’t just replace her with one person. It takes a whole team to replace someone like that. So we’ve been working really hard just rebounding, getting better in our shooting in trying to fill that gap. And she was a very vocal leader.”

A couple players who will look to replace some of that scoring production are senior guard Sydney Langworthy and sophomore guard Meghan Edwards, who both emerged last season in key moments down the stretch.

“I think last year, it definitely was my year that I came out of my shell, got a lot more confidence with my teammates,” Langworthy said. “They would always push me to shoot and just be confident in my shot. I think that really helped. I mostly used to just focus on defense. My defense started driving my offense.”

For what it’s worth, both guards earned plenty of praise from Maxwell.

“They’re both growing in their leadership, they’re really confident,” Maxwell said. “They both hound you on defense. They’ve both worked a lot on their shooting. They’re confident in the way they score, they can score in three ways. They’re just total package players.”

Willett averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds last year, so her absence will certainly be felt.

“We’re focused in a couple different areas where we can get some different scoring,” Murray said. “It’s a lot to make up for. The girls understand that we have to spread those points around. The girls are realistic about how and when they need to score. That’s what it’s going to take. It’s not just one person. All of them need to step up and make up for those 16 points per game.”

Gig Harbor welcomes 5-foot-8 freshman Tia Berry to the fold, who expects to see plenty of the court in her first high school season.

“Tia is really athletic,” Maxwell said. “She’s got some wheels on her, too.”

Of course, it helps having Maxwell back. The senior guard broke the 3A state tournament scoring record last winter, scoring 83 total points (27.7 average) at the Tacoma Dome, including 31 in the championship game against Garfield.

“Just on top of her being amazing and fun to coach, she just never stops working hard,” Murray said. “She always moves her bar higher and higher every year. I think she truly believes we can get to the title game again and repeat and she’s willing to put everybody on her back and do that. She’s a winner, she just competes.”

Gig Harbor will face a tough challenge in the South Sound Conference this year, with Peninsula returning reigning league MVP Belle Frazier, along with a talented cast around her. To make matters even tougher, Gig Harbor expects to get every team’s best shot, after winning the state title.

“We just have that mental toughness and know that teams are coming after us but no matter what, we just have to stick to our basic principles and not let it get in our heads or anything,” Langworthy said. “My goal is for teams to be scared to play us. We want to live up to that name. We want teams to see that same team and that same intensity that we had in the state tournament.”

2018 GIG HARBOR SCHEDULE

Nov. 27: Gig Harbor 51, Curtis 40

Nov. 28: Eastlake 61, Gig Harbor 20

Dec. 5: at Timberline, 7 p.m.

Dec. 7: Central Kitsap, 7 p.m.

Dec. 8: Todd Beamer, 4 p.m.

Dec. 12: at Shelton, 7 p.m.

Dec. 14: North Thurston, 7 p.m.

Dec. 19: Capital, 7 p.m.

Dec. 22: White River, 12 p.m.

Dec. 27: Meridian, 3:15 p.m. (at Lynden Christian)

Dec. 28: at Lynden Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 4: at Yelm, 7 p.m.

Jan 9: Peninsula, 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 11: Timberline, 7 p.m.

Jan. 16: at Central Kitsap, 7 p.m.

Jan. 18: Shelton, 7 p.m.

Jan. 23: at North Thurston, 7 p.m.

Jan. 25: at Capital, 7 p.m.

Jan. 29: Yelm, 7 p.m.

Jan. 31: at Peninsula, 6:30 p.m.