Jeannette girls basketball coach Jenna Lusby and her husband/assistant coach, Arnold Lusby, had their first child in August.
Baby Zayvia is doing well.
“We joke that she is our other assistant,” Jenna Lusby said. “The girls love her.”
Now, to their other baby: the Jayhawks program.
Jeannette didn’t win a section game last season and finished 4-15 overall, despite a bump in roster numbers and scoring up to 33.2 points a game.
Five starters are back, however, as the team lost only one senior in forward Mary Jones.
Senior point guard Navarah Smith returns after averaging 19.6 points — nearly 60% of her team’s offense.
The other returning starters are senior guard Abigail Shaw, sophomore guard Leah DeFelice, junior guard/forward Karmen Kistner and sophomore center Jayden Goodson.
“We return the same numbers of girls this year, with some additional freshmen,” said Jenna Lusby, the former Jenna Cole who starred at Norwin. “We are looking to have around 10 on the team this year, which I am very excited about.
“We had a lot of young girls playing varsity minutes last year. Now everyone knows what to expect with the play at this level.”
Sophomores forward Aubriella Milliron and guard Brooklyn Schultz will look to add depth, while junior Yazmine Ford and freshmen Sanya Dreakford and Malena Woods are new to the roster.
“It’s a debate on who is more excited for the season, (the coaches) or the girls, which I love,” Jenna Lusby said. “We have been putting in the work this offseason to be ready.”
Lusby envisions her team grinding to win games, saying the girls are “scrappy, quick and aggressive.”
“We are fast and are going to be looking for quick steals and easy buckets,” the coach said.
Lusby said she learned a lot in her first season as a head coach after several years coaching at the AAU level, not the least of which forming a bond with her players.
“It’s bigger than basketball to me. It always has been,” she said. “These girls hold a special place in my heart. I get the opportunity to teach them such an amazing game that I have so much love for. That teaches you life lessons beyond the court. This game gives you life skills that I still use every day.
“I am so blessed that these girls come to practice every day and choose me to be their coach and so fortunate for the great district that Jeannette is for welcoming us back for another year. I have so much still to learn, and I am looking forward to all that I will learn in my second season.”
Jeannette girls at a glance
Coach: Jenna Lusby
Last year’s record: 4-15 (0-10 in Section 4-2A)
Returning starters: Mary Jones (Sr., C), Karmen Kistner (So., G), Navarah Smith (Jr., G)
Top newcomers: Leah Defelice (Fr., G), Jayden Goodson (Fr., F), Aubriella Milliron (Fr., G), Abby Shaw (Jr., G)
SCHEDULE
11.28Derry^5 p.m.
11.29TBA^
12.1Leechburg6 p.m.
12.5TBA
12.6TBA
12.8Clairton6 p.m.
12.10South Allegheny6 p.m.
12.15Carlynton6 p.m.
12.18Riverview*6 p.m.
12.22at Ellis School*6 p.m.
12.29TBA#
12.30TBA#
1.5at Apollo-Ridge*6 p.m.
1.8Winchester Thurston*6 p.m.
1.12at Frazier*6 p.m.
1.14at Northgate6 p.m.
1.22at Riverview*7 p.m.
1.26Ellis School*6 p.m.
1.28East Allegheny6 p.m.
1.29Apollo-Ridge*6 p.m.
2.2at Winchester Thurston*6 p.m.
2.5Frazier*6 p.m.
*Section game; ^Springdale tournament; Major Corley Memorial Tournament at Monessen; ; #Mapletown tournament