Westtown’s star-studded girls’ basketball team has learned to share the load: ‘Everybody will eat’
The Moose are ranked No. 6 in the country by ESPN. Coach Fran Burbidge has some of the nation’s top talent on his team and has reminded his stars to play unselfishly.
The ingredients are certainly gourmet, chosen with precision for their rich characteristics, which are then cultivated with aplomb to accentuate the finished product.
At Westtown School, Fran Burbidge is the culinary master and coach, blending some of the nation’s top talent into nationally ranked cuisine.
“As we tell them,” Burbidge said after Westtown’s impressive dismantling of host Audenried, 85-58, Saturday in South Philadelphia, “everybody will eat.”
Perhaps most impressive, Westtown, ranked No. 6 in the nation according to ESPN, passed the ball early and often, routinely eschewing good shots to better position teammates for great ones.
“At different times and in different games you’ll eat different amounts,” Burbidge said. “But you’re going to be able to score the ball if you [play unselfishly].”
That’s no small task considering the team’s talent.
On Saturday, 6-foot-1 sophomore forward Jordyn Palmer, last season’s state Gatorade Player of the Year, led all scorers with 32 points. Fellow sophomore Jessie Moses added 20.
Palmer and Moses, a point guard, are recruits sought by nearly every major college program in the country.
Senior Kennedy Henry, who has committed to Villanova, added 10 points, while fellow senior Kennedy Hall (Boston College) added five.
“We talk about [unselfishness] an awful lot,” Burbidge said. “We talk about how their journeys [are] always going to be with four other kids on the floor that are really good players.
“It becomes what we hang our hat on offensively. Just being good teammates because they’re all scorers.”
» READ MORE: Westtown star Jordyn Palmer takes her game international: ‘She has a chance to be that kid’
Burbidge also praised Moses, a natural scorer, for developing her ability to make plays for others. It’s something the 5-foot-10 shooter has been improving upon in addition to offseason shooting and ballhandling workouts.
Moses, who has seen significant minutes since she was an eighth grader playing varsity, is also becoming a leader.
“I mean, at times it’s been challenging just because it’s out of my comfort zone,” she said, “but I see it’s definitely paying off now.”
Audenried, the two-time defending Public League champion, was buoyed by a raucous crowd early. Penn State-bound Shayla Smith led the Rockets with 25 points, including 16 in the first half.
Moses & Co., however, seemed unbothered by the environment. In fact, they seemed to thrive in the face of it.
“Definitely different atmosphere, great atmosphere,” Moses said. “I feel like this is definitely one of the best atmospheres. Everyone was loud, everybody was cheering. Normally we don’t play against teams with cheerleaders.”
As the season progresses, the Moose will look for a fifth consecutive Friends School League title and a fourth straight Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association crown.
Playing in Saturday’s environment, Moses believes, could pay dividends later.
“I feel like not every game’s like this,” she said. “When there’s an atmosphere where it’s not like this, it’ll definitely be easier just because there’s no loud crowd. This was a great experience. It was a lot of fun.”