Running the point, Sydni Scott has the O’Hara girls’ basketball team chasing a state title
Scott has been among the city's best players since she was a freshman. She's headed to Marshall in the fall.
When Chrissie Doogan first saw Sydni Scott play, the latter was just a fifth grader at a summer basketball camp. But as Doogan watched Scott practice and run through the drills, she could tell that Scott was going to be a special player.
During the years that followed, Scott would often play against Maggie Doogan, Chrissie’s daughter, and so Chrissie Doogan continued to watch as Scott grew as a basketball player.
Eventually, it came time for Scott to decide where she would play her high school basketball. While her talent gave her several choices coming out of eighth grade, Scott chose to stay in her district and attend Cardinal O’Hara.
“I was excited to get to know her as a kid,” said Chrissie Doogan, O’Hara’s coach. “She has the personality that just brightens up the gym. She makes teammates better; she practices hard … [I learned] what makes her go and what not to say. That process was enjoyable for me as far as her growth.”
The 5-foot-8 point guard is a four-time first-team All-Catholic League honoree, and in 2021, Scott was first-team all-state in Class 5A.
This season, the Lions captured the Catholic League championship and are in the middle of a state-playoff push to defend their title. O’Hara will play Springfield (Delco) on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in a quarterfinal at Archbishop Carroll.
» READ MORE: Cardinal O’Hara’s Maggie Doogan grew up on Big 5 basketball and is ready to create her own path in college
“They taught me how to be a point guard,” Scott said. “Even though I knew how to bring up the ball, they taught me key points … They got my shot together. They taught me how to be a team player; they taught me how to be a leader.”
During her freshman and sophomore years, Scott’s role was as a shooter and consistent offensive producer. Then during Scott’s junior year, Maggie Doogan broke out and became a double-digit scoring forward. With another talented scorer on the roster, Scott was forced to adjust her role to fit the team’s goals.
“I think it’s fun because nobody can really guard us,” Scott said. “They always have to pick and choose which one they have to guard. ... I feel like our chemistry with that is just so precise. Maggie and I just know what we’re going to do because we’ve been playing together for a very long time.”
One of Scott’s biggest contributions can’t be tracked on a stat sheet.
“She sets a mean screen,” Chrissie Doogan said. “We run an offense where back screens and cross screens are important, and she takes pride in getting people open. We’ll watch film, and Maggie will score off a back screen, and Syd will say, ‘That’s my screen.’ She takes pride in doing the little things.”
Scott’s development in her junior year, as well as her on-court chemistry with Maggie Doogan, helped O’Hara capture the PIAA Class 5A state title last season. That success has continued into this season.
In addition to Scott and Maggie Doogan, seniors Annie Welde and Kristen Kutafaris have also been a part of this O’Hara team since the 2018-2019 season.
“I started with them, so I’ve been able to kind of sit back and let them run the show a little bit,” Chrissie Doogan said. “Between Sydni, Maggie, Annie, and Kristen, they’ve embraced that role. They have taken some of our younger players under their wings and helped them develop as well. … Syd has been great with some of that development.”
Last August, Scott, a four-star recruit, committed to play for Tony Kemper’s Marshall University program.
“I never wanted to stay local,” Scott said. “I always wanted to get out, try something new, see what it’s like in a different state. Choosing West Virginia, I feel like I can fit in. I can see myself there for the next four years.”
During her official visit to Marshall, Scott was also impressed by the team’s high level of competitiveness and by Kemper’s engaged coaching style. The visit was also a breath of fresh air for Scott, who had missed out on many official visits because of COVID-19 policies. After doing most of her recruiting via phone calls, getting to see Marshall in person was enough to cement her decision.
“I was just on calls, calls, calls,” Scott said. “Once Marshall said I could visit there, I took that flight, and I knew Marshall was it for me.”