Aubrey Galvan breaks defenses.
While her exploits with the ball in her hands are well documented, No. 8 Loyola’s senior guard can also affect defenses without it. Toward the end of the third quarter in a 58-42 win over No. 21 Montini, Galvan stood in the corner with the seconds running off the clock.
Junior guard Clare Weasler handled the ball at the top of the key, blew past her defender with a right-to-left crossover and attacked the basket. Galvan’s defender is supposed to help in that situation, but you don’t leave Galvan.
“In my 17 years, I haven’t coached anyone like her,” coach Jeremy Schoeneceker said. “We knew they were gonna guard her in the corner, so that opens up a driving lane for us, and it’s something that we’ve preached about all season long.”
Galvan finished with 26 points. Whether it was off the dribble or off the catch, she had success scoring. But it’s not just her scoring that’s lethal; her passing is also impressive.
Galvan has the ability to thread the needle or flip one-handed passes over the top of defenses to the opposite corner, hitting her teammate right in the shooting pocket.
“It’s so special to be on the court with a player like Aubrey,” said senior forward Grace Bronski, who had seven points and six rebounds. “I always tell her to snap before she throws me the ball because I never know what’s coming.”
Galvan is the headliner, but similar to last year, Loyola’s success takes a group effort. Bronski plays a critical role at forward because the Ramblers don’t have a lot of size. So it’s on her to battle down low and handle the less glamorous aspects of basketball.
“Grace just brings a physical presence, loves contact and will do all the dirty work for us, almost like Kelsey Langston last year,” Schoeneceker said.
Bronski was a rotational piece for last year’s Class 4A state title team, but with the graduations of Langston and guard Paige Engels, she has stepped into a more prominent role. Bronski credited Schoeneceker, who won his 400th game, for pushing her.
This season, the key for the Ramblers is developing players such as Bronski, guards Marycait Mackie and Emily Naraky and getting them ready for the stretch run.
“It’s been a lot of pressure since because of what we achieved last year, but the girls have been awesome,” Bronski said. “They jumped right into everything we’ve done. We knew there would be some doubts about how the team would click, but everyone’s just always ready to work hard every day.”
The faces have changed, but the goal remains the same for the Ramblers. They’re at their best when they lock in defensively, causing havoc with relentless pressure. Loyola held Montini guard Nikki Kerstein to seven points.
The Ramblers close hard but are usually under control. Their pressure disorients defenses.
At the center of it is Galvan. Her unselfishness permeates through the team. She seems to have found the right balance between deferring to her teammates and knowing when to attack. Her play will be key for Loyola to get back to the state finals.
“It’s all just blended so easily because of how hard we work and how hard we want it,” Galvan said. “We’re still striving for a [state championship].