Greenwich High School girls basketball team begins new season with decisive victories against Hillhouse, Bassick

By David Fierro on December 19, 2024 • ( Leave a comment )

**Photo by Dan Utzinger:** Alyssa Gath in action for the Greenwich High School varsity girls basketball team during a home game against Bassick High School on Dec. 18, 2024, at Greenwich High. Gath is a senior captain.

How’s this for a dominating start to the season?

Greenwich High School’s girls basketball team opened its 2024-2025 season with a 51-20 road win versus Hillhouse on Dec. 13, then followed that decisive victory by excelling on both ends of the court from the opening tip in a 43-8 one-sided triumph over Bassick High School on Dec. 16.

Indeed, it’s certainly been an impressive start to the young season for the 2-0 Cardinals.

“I think that we have a great group of girls,” Greenwich senior co-captain/power forward Kate Baxendale said. “We have two freshmen and we’re all meshing together and I’m excited to see how the season goes. We’re really strong with our fundamentals and I think once we play more together, we’ll do better.”

The Cardinals finished 10-10 during the regular season one season ago, qualified for the CIAC Class LL Tournament and lost to East Hartford in the opening round. Riana Xhekaj, Megan Geiger, Julia Monteiro, Ayanna Davenport and Caroline McShea were the graduates from last season’s Cardinals team. Baxendale and Alyssa Gath are Greenwich’s 2024-2025 senior captains.

**Photo courtesy of Dan Utzinger**: Kate Baxendale of the Greenwich High School varsity girls basketball team in action during a game against Bassick at GHS on Dec. 16, 2024. Baxendale is a senior captain of the Cardinals, who won, 43-8.

“I’m really excited, it’s a big role, but being a leader is really important to me,” Gath said of being one of the Cardinals’ captains. “We have a great group of girls, so I’m looking forward to helping us reach our full potential.”

Megan Wax returns as head coach of the Cardinals and is assisted by Dave Reetz. Wax appreciates the significant role her senior captains are embracing.

“Together they are really great at leading by example,” Wax said of her captains. “They collaborate well, they have created an inclusive environment. They help set the bar for everybody, not just with their level of play and intensity but with how much but with how much they care and love the team.”

**Photo by Dan Utzinger:** Greenwich’s Madi Utzinger, left, dribbles the ball down the court during a varsity basketball game against Bassick High School on Dec. 16, 2024. Utzinger scored 13 points in Greenwich’s 43-8 win.

In Greenwich’s dominant 43-8 win over visiting Bassick High School on Dec. 16, junior guard/forward Madi Utzinger scored a team-high 13 points, while freshman center Zuri Faison totaled 12 points to pace the Cardinals.

Utzinger is a versatile athlete capable of handling the ball, driving to the basket and shooting from all areas of the perimeter.

“We have a lot of shooters on our team, which is going to help us,” Utzinger said. “It’s really helpful to have a lot of guards this year, because we can all handle it under pressure, which is important, because a lot of teams in the FCIAC like to press and it’s important to be able to handle the pressure to pass out of it or dribble out of it.”

**Photo courtesy of Dan Utzinger**: Zuri Faison of Greenwich drives to the basket against Bassick High School in varsity basketball action. Faison scored 12 points in the Cardinals’ 43-8 home victory.

Baxendale scored seven points and Gath had four points from Greenwich, which received points from seven players against Bassick. Utzinger scored all 13 of her points during the first quarter for the Cardinals, who streaked out to a 17-0 first-quarter lead on the Lions. She swished two 3-pointers in the first quarter as GHS built its commanding lead.

“Madi has so many skills that she brings to the team, she is so aggressive she plays fearlessly,” Wax said. “We’re able to get a lot of good looks and free herself up.”

The Cardinals should get more open shots from the perimeter this season due to the addition of Faison in the low post. A first-season varsity player, Faison is the tallest player on the squad and gives the Cards a presence in the low post.

**Photo by Dan Utzinger**: The Greenwich High School varsity girls basketball team defeated Bassick in its home-opener.

“She is a post player, she is fantastic, she has a great feel for the sport,” Wax said of Faison. “Her natural movements are great. She is naturally very gifted and she is willing to work and learn and pick up the intensity with which she plays with.”

“Zuri is good at getting boards and going up,” noted Baxendale, who is coming off a stellar junior season.

“Last year I think it was telling to go from not really playing to starting,” Baxendale said of her increased role last winter. “I think that we all were upset with how the season ended. We fell short of FCIACs and got out the first round of states and this year we don’t want that to happen again. We are going to push to reach our full potential.”

Lily Nogaki scored three points, while Mikayla Kiernan and Lauren Dionis added two points apiece for GHS against Bassick. Nogaki is a sophomore, Kiernan is a junior and Dionis is in her senior season. Ella Morris is a senior and Elsa Xhekaj is the Cards’ other freshman. Lauren Judge is also in her junior season for GHS.

**Photo courtesy of Dan Utzinger:** Greenwich’s Lauren Judge shoots a corner jump shot vs. Bassick High School.

Also returning is junior guard Juliette Pelham, who performed well in her sophomore season in 2023-2024. Pelham was sidelined during Greenwich’s first two games but is expected to be back in action soon.

“We have a lot of new faces but so far everyone is working hard physically and mentally,” Wax noted.

In Greenwich’s season opener versus Hillhouse on the road, Faison led the Cardinals with 14 points. Kiernan added 10 points, while Baxendale and Utzinger posted seven points apiece.

**Photo by Dan Utzinger:** Greenwich High School was victorious against Bassick High School in its first home game of the year.

Xhekaj made two 3-pointers for six points and Gath contributed five points for GHS, which also received two points from Judge in the road win at Hillhouse.

Greenwich plays another non-conference game on Saturday against Hall High School. The game is scheduled to be played at New Canaan High School at 1 p.m., since there is an issue with Greenwich High School’s gymnasium that is being worked on. Water has been leaking onto the court.

**Photo courtesy of Dan Utzinger**: Mikayla Kiernan of Greenwich looks to pass the ball against Bassick High School.

The Cardinals have road games at Joel Barlow on December 28 and Shepaug Valley on December 30. They begin playing against their formidable FCIAC foes on Jan. 3 at Fairfield Ludlowe. Their FCIAC home-opener is against Wilton on Jan. 10.

“It’s definitely really competitive,” Gath said of the FCIAC teams. “You never know, some teams can just come out of nowhere and play a great game. So, you just have to be ready for anything. There are some great teams out there, but hopefully, we can come out on top this year.”

**Photo by Dan Utzinger**: Cardinals senior captain Alyssa Gath in action versus Bassick High School. GHS won, 43-8.

“Our team is really jelling together now,” Utzinger noted. “During the scrimmages we had a little rough time, but our team has gotten to know each other and each person’s strengths and weaknesses. I feel like we’ve jelled so much more as a team and I feel like we have so much more to offer.”

**Photo courtesy of Dan Utzinger**: The Cardinals have won their first two varsity basketball games of the 2024-2025 season.

“I really want to win FCIACs and states and I think we can do that with this team. It’s just like one day at a time and if we keep working, we can meet our goals to go far in both FCIACs and the states,” Utzinger added.