By John Knebels • Posted February 28, 2025

No matter how much star power a team possesses, when it comes to defeating a strong opponent, it takes a village.

Though not a household name, Neumann-Goretti junior Zion Coston contributed mightily in the Saints’ 50-43 Philadelphia Catholic League girls’ basketball championship victory over Archbishop Carroll Feb. 23 at the Palestra.

While first-team All-Catholic seniors Carryn Easley and Amya Scott combined for 58 percent of N-G’s offense with 16 and 13 points, respectively, and first-team sophomore Reginna Baker tallied eight more, it was Coston’s two three-pointers and two free throws off the bench that captured the fictional “Most Underrated Contribution” award.

Underrated maybe, but according to Neumann-Goretti coach Andrea Peterson, not unexpected.

“Zion is a special type of player,” said Peterson, who coached Neumann-Goretti’s most previous title in 2015 and, as a player at Archbishop Carroll, experienced crowns in 2003 and 2004. “She’s a kid that doesn’t show up in the stat books, but keeps us alive.”

Coston drilled her first three-pointer early in the second quarter to increase N-G’s lead to 16-7. Right before halftime, she nailed another trey. In the closing seconds, Coston methodically swished a pair of foul-line tosses for the game’s final points.

“Zion plays a lot of minutes for us coming off the bench,” said Peterson. “She should be a starter for us but has accepted her role as the best ‘sixth man’ around. Every team needs that ‘dawg’ type of player, and that is what Zion is for us. She does whatever is needed for us to be successful without hesitation.”

Coston’s modest countenance fits Peterson’s description.

“It feels amazing,” said Coston. “I’m glad I could help. Do what I gotta do.”

According to Coston, the Saints’ success begins at practice.

“We push each other as much as we can,” she said. “When we push each other, the better we get. Nobody takes it personal.”

At a post-game conference that consisted of Easley, Scott, junior second-team All-Catholic Kamora Berry, and Peterson, an obvious theme emerged. Regardless of the queries, the quad’s response circled back to diligence, positivity, and trust.

Scott emphasized how the Saints “work on our defense every single day,” so holding Carroll to only 14 points in the first half “just came second nature to us.” Peterson mentioned that there “was never a negative moment in the huddle.”

And after three-seed Archbishop Carroll battled back on a 10-0 run behind freshman sensation Kayla Eberz (21 points, 11 rebounds) to take a 40-39 lead in the fourth quarter, the Saints’ deficit lasted exactly one possession.

“We kept telling each other,” said Easley, “if things don’t go our way, don’t fold. Stay together. We did really good at that.”

Good? More like great.

With a PCL campaign of perfection – an 11-0 regular season and wins over Conwell-Egan and Cardinal O’Hara in the quarterfinal and semifinal, respectively – facing major adversity with less than four minutes remaining, it was then that Neumann-Goretti played its most dominant basketball.

It started with a basket by Easley, the PCL Most Valuable Player, which gave the Saints the lead for good at 41-40. Then a free throw by Scott, followed by two freebies by Baker, and then two more by Scott. After an Eberz bucket, Scott hit two more.

And then, with 2.9 showing on the clock, up stepped Coston, who calmly canned a pair.

Just doing what she gotta do.

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Contact John Knebels at jknebels@gmail.com or on ‘X’ @johnknebels.