They’re trying to build a dynasty in Canarsie.
South Shore’s girls basketball team has won back-to-back Public Schools Athletic League championships — but the Lady Vikings are looking to take the next step this season, and they have their sights set on another city title and a run at a state Federation crown.
“We’ve got high expectations,” South Shore coach Anwar Gladden said. “We’re going to try and get back to a city championship and compete for states. [The girls] feel like coming up at short at states [last year] is definitely the motivation.”
The memory of last year’s 67–51 semifinal loss to eventual state champ Ossining has lingered in the collective minds of this year’s Lady Vikings squad. And now the team is determined to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself — at least when it comes to the Federation tournament.
“They’ve all been there. They know what they have to do,” Gladden said.
Gladden knew who his starting five would be long before the preseason even began — Selena and Destiny Philoxy, Valena Hickerson, Earlette Scott, and Tsahai Corbie — and each player makes the long-time coach’s job easier. They’ve all won big-time games and played in big-time moments, and that kind of experience means Gladden can take an occasional step back and simply let his team play.
“It just makes my life a little bit easier in that stuff that we do gets passed down,” Gladden said. “You don’t have to restart stuff each year. It’s good, we’re back and it’s up to them how good we can be.”
The Philoxy sisters in particular give the Lady Vikings a leg up on the competition. The pair was the spark that made South Shore’s offense go last season, a one-two punch of scoring potential that Gladden is hoping will continue this season.
The Lady Vikings boast one of the most experienced rosters in the entire city, but South Shore is not without a few fresh faces, including freshman forward Kayla Johnson. The first-year varsity player grew up around basketball — her older brother Corey plays college hoops at St. Francis Brooklyn — and Gladden is certain she’ll have an impact on the hardwood from the get-go.
“Kayla’s a star in the making as a freshman,” he said. “She’s already 6-foot-1 and she’s only a freshman. She’ll get some minutes for us.”
South Shore is determined to make it three in a row this season, but the Lady Vikings are also focused on the little things. This group is experienced, confident, and most importantly, always working to fine-tune its collective game.
It’s that mindset Gladden is certain will help add another chapter to the program’s burgeoning basketball history.
“It’s still a South Shore team, and our team is still day by day,” he said. “You start looking too far ahead and that’s when problems arise. We know if we get better every day, we’ll be fine.”
