Girls Basketball Review: Peekskill Red Devils

The Peekskill girls basketball team lost its final contest, as it fell short in the Class A Federation Championship game against Archbishop Molloy 53-48 at the Times Union Center in Albany.

But the loss could not damper the historic campaign Peekskill enjoyed this season as the Red Devils (24-2) accomplished many firsts for a girls sports team at PHS.

This season, Peekskill became the first PHS girls sports team ever to win a state championship and a regional championship. The Lady Red Devils were also the first PHS girls team to win a Section 1 title since the volleyball squad did it in 1978.

Patch now looks back on the season with Peekskill Head Coach Rodney Headley Jr. and senior all-section forward Jazmin Garcia, who went over 1,000-career points in the Federation title game against Molloy.

Rodney Headley Jr.

Q: How proud are you of all your team has accomplished this season?

A: I am extremely proud of them. The girls put in so much work and effort over these last couple of years to get at this level. The Federation title wasn't our main goal. It would have been great for us to win it but winning the state championship, what we did during the playoffs and regular season, I'm still esctatic.

Q: What did it mean for senior forward Jazmin Garcia to go over 1,000-career points in her final game in a Peekskill uniform against Molloy?

A: For her, it was an amazing feat. Most people who get 1,000-career points are four and five-year starters. She did this in three years. She should be proud of herself.

Q: What did Garcia and your other senior starters, Tasia Nolan (All-Section), Sheridan Taylor (All-Section honorable-mention) and Kiana Letsinger mean as a group to the program?

A: It is sad to see them go because their work ethics are so high. I hope over the next few months before they depart to college, they can talk to the younger girls to help them get the same work ethic so we can have the same results.

Q: How important is it now that the younger girls, led by veteran All-Section guard Asia Jackson, continue their development?

A: They have to follow suit. Asia is a leader on the floor, she is not very vocal, but the younger players can follow her when it comes to how hard she works on her game. If you watch her, her effort, do that and you can get results. Who need to be the vocal leaders are Troi Nolan and Dottie Bradshaw. They are people that can be seen more during the summer time as Asia is always traveling with AAU.

Q and A with Jazmin Garcia

Q: While it may have not come with the end result you wanted, scoring over 1,000-career points is a tremendous milestone. What did it mean for you to be able to accomplish that?

A: It means that I worked hard and that my teammates helped me. It means a lot to me but the Federation championship would've meant a lot more.

Q: Now that you can look back on your Peekskill career, what are you going to miss most and what did being on this historic run as a team mean to you?

A: I am going to miss my teammates the most. We built a very strong bond that no one can ever break. As for the history part, I love the fact that I am a part of Peekskill High School history. I hope that the girls coming after us can carry it on.