Phil Anastasia: Lions bind books with basketball

Good grades come naturally to some high school students.

Same goes for basketball.

But for the overwhelming majority, success in the classroom and on the court springs from the same sources: Focus, discipline, determination.

"It's all related," said Sean Gorman, coach of the remarkable Gloucester girls' basketball team.

It's tough to say what's more impressive about the Lions, their won-loss record or their grade point average. They either are one of the smartest good teams in South Jersey, or one of the most athletic collections of honor students.

Actually, they're both.

"Athletics and academics have been a huge part of our lives for the longest time," Gloucester senior guard Erin MacAdams said. "For as long as I can remember, we've always been focused on doing well in sports and doing well in school."

On the court, the Lions are 11-0. They are the last undefeated girls' team in South Jersey. They are ranked seventh in The Inquirer top 10, and they have impressive out-of-conference victories over Cinnaminson and Deptford.

In the classroom, the Lions have even better numbers. The team's five seniors all rank in the top 22 in a class of 133. Four of the seniors are in the top six, and two of them - forwards Marissa Cooper and Jess Lindsay - are tied for No. 1.

"It definitely makes us a better basketball team," Cooper said of the team's academic success. "We're all kind of perfectionists. We always want to do well. We have that drive to do better."

Gorman, who was an outstanding player and student at Gloucester in the late 1990s, said the Lions' academic acumen has a direct bearing on the team's success on the court.

"It absolutely comes into play," Gorman said. "These girls are so good at reading situations, at grasping what is happening on the court and adjusting to it.

"So much success comes from focus and poise and being level-headed. They have that in their lives and they bring it to the court."

Balancing the demands of books and basketball is a constant challenge for the Lions. Gorman said it's a common sight to see his seniors doing schoolwork on bus rides to away games, and also while sitting in the stands during junior-varsity games.

"We're all dedicated to basketball but we're also dedicated to our schoolwork," Lindsay said. "A lot of times during JV games, we'll be sitting there and doing our homework together. We push each other to be better."

Cooper and Lindsay each take four advanced placement courses. Forward Kristen Jacobs, who ranks fourth in the class, and guard Kaylee Conner, who ranks sixth, also take multiple AP courses.

Cooper is leaning toward attending Holy Family College and studying biology. She wants to be a dentist. Lindsay is looking at Drexel or Widener, with an eye toward occupational therapy or teaching. Conner wants to be a civil engineer or architect. Jacobs is looking at Drexel, and also wants to be engineer.

MacAdams is the team's best player, with a 15.2-point average. She ranks 22d in the class, and she's as likely to ace a test as nail a three-pointer. But she marvels at her classmates' academic success.

"They blow me away," she said. "I'm lucky to play with such intelligent players."

Conner said the Lions have a maturity that leads to success on the court, and in the classroom.

"It's like we know when to be serious," Conner said.

Jacobs said the players' intelligence leads to fewer breakdowns on offense or defense.

"We all know the plays so well and we all know where we need to be," Jacobs said. "It makes sense. We all work so hard in school, it's going to carry over to basketball."

Gorman is a young coach with most of his career in front of him. But he knows this could be a once-in-a-lifetime class: Such good players, such great students, such balanced people.

"The dedication these girls show in their studies, they show the same thing as far as basketball," Gorman said. "Anything we ask them to do all summer long, they do it. They're so focused. They're all such great girls, too."