November 15th marked the start of Padua Academy’s 2013-2014 basketball season. This season, the Padua Pandas are hungry for a championship title and have shown it in their great win against St. Andrew’s School of Middletown, DE, Friday, December 6. Varsity won 54-22 and JV won 30-7. This year’s varsity team is made up of thirteen girls who each have their own special talents to contribute to the team.

The Padua basketball team was predicted to be number two in the state by Jim Charles, author of delawaregirlsbasketball.com. Captain Emma Matthews, was very excited to see this ranking but does not intend to let her guard down. “Just because we were ranked #2 does not mean that we are going to have games where we can ‘relax’. Every game that we play will be tough and we will have to be at the top of our game this season.” The girls are scheduled to play twenty games, eight of which will be played at home. “I really think that this is our year to bring home the trophy!” says sophomore, Megan Mallon. The girls, led by head coach, Jason Matthews and assistant coach, Emily Grugan, hope to make it further in the playoffs this year. Junior, Claudia Spink says, “Basketball is really a team sport. I feel that our team has a great connection this year. We work very well as a team and I can’t wait for the rest of the season!”