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Because of her immaculate comprehension of her present role, Maureen Fiocca will likely never need to ask for her job description when she enters the professional world.
“I love shooting the ball,” the 17-year-old senior said Monday at Ss. Neumann-Goretti High School, 1736 S. 10th St.
Her predilection for precision has proven prosperous for the Saints, who will enter tonight’s first-round home playoff contest against Lansdale Catholic with a 17-5 mark, which includes 10 triumphs against Catholic League opponents. A co-captain, Fiocca has paced the East Passyunk Crossing ballers, leading their renaissance as the top scorer at 9.4 points per game and providing guidance to her teammates. Her maturity has given fans cause to believe that February, a time that the boys’ squad has made a traditional display of its cohesion, also could foster a female frenzy.
A four-year varsity presence, Fiocca also headed the scoring chart two years ago by dropping 13 a contest. Though her output has decreased, she has gladly traded fewer points for more victories.
“We have had a different mentality the last couple seasons,” the resident of the 1900 block of East Moyamensing Avenue said of the young ladies’ intensity and commitment under coach Stephen Skedzielewski.
The novelty has enabled the shooting guard to feel more fluid in assisting her bunch’s chances of gaining elite status. It also has meant her senior-heavy group has started to stun current heavyweights, like defending league champion Archbishop Wood.
“We had known how to use our talent by the time we faced Wood,” she said of Feb. 4’s home clash, “but that game really helped.”
The Saints downed the Vikings 47-44 and though Fiocca did not deposit any points, she handed out six assists, proving her penchant for launching jumpers has an equally deadly complement. Coupled with Feb. 7’s 57-23 home thrashing of West Catholic, the Wood win marked the end of a fantastic stretch that saw the girls take 15 of 17 battles. Thwarting the Warminster visitors delighted Fiocca, but she had known more than a month before that the guests would face resistance.
“I knew we would be special when we beat North Penn,” she said of Dec. 29’s 31-29 nail-biter in Wildwood, N.J.
Fiocca scored 16 combined points in the tournament’s two duels, and the title endowed the girls with their second championship of the season, as they began her final year by romping to the Chester Tournament crown. Engineering & Science fell 43-22 Dec. 9, with Fiocca going for 11 points, and the host school failed to defend its home court by tumbling 65-29 the next day, as she contributed 16 points to the rout.
“Those are our biggest accomplishments,” she said.
Four clutch free throws in the final two minutes of Dec. 22’s 41-38 road denial of Notre Dame displayed her knack for timely composure. They also validated her preseason estimation that whatever personal pressure she applied would suit her well in close situations. League play, however, brought few such experiences.
Coming off last year’s 5-7 divisional slate, the girls sought more fruitful results. They vanquished their first 10 parochial pursuers, with only Wood and Lansdale Catholic — tonight’s 7 p.m. tilt — able to avoid falling by 10 or fewer points. The Saints won the Jan. 10 regular-season meeting, 42-32. Fiocca reached double-digits in six of those games and anticipated the last regular season affairs against Radnor’s Archbishop Carroll and Springfield’s Cardinal O’Hara as stern challenges to their well-disciplined style.
The Feb. 7 home tilt against Carroll slipped away when the guests subjected the Saints, including All-Catholic senior center and Georgetown University signee Omowumi “Ki-ke” Rafiu, to various zone defenses. Fiocca scored seven points in the 56-33 setback but put it out of her mind to prepare for Friday’s contest against O’Hara. The latter fell on Senior Night and would help to determine postseason seeds.
“I was a bit sad that night,” Fiocca said of the celebration that recounted her career yet noted her services are nearly complete.
O’Hara likely increased her dismay, as it held Fiocca to six points and demolished its hosts 56-30. Their overall success, though, earned the Saints the league’s No. 3 seed and has its sniper touting her improvements.
“I have become a better player,” the college prospect, who is considering Glenside’s Arcadia University, Bethlehem’s Moravian College and Towson, Md.’s Goucher College, said. “I understand the game more and have more focus.”
Fiocca began to develop her determination at the Edward O’Malley Athletic Association, 144 Moore St., as a youngster within the location’s basketball program. Camp involvement united her with counselor John Murawski, now Neumann-Goretti’s president. She owes her interest in hoops to her family, including her three older brothers.
“I just loved the feeling when I would play,” Fiocca said of transforming an infatuation into a calling.
Sacred Heart of Jesus School, 1329 E. Moyamensing Ave., nurtured her talent, as she played for the Pennsport institution for four years. She then chose Neumann-Goretti as the recipient of her vocation to win and improve.
“I think players always have to try to learn more about the game,” she said of striving for excellence.
A foot injury limited her freshman year, but nothing has slowed her progression or penchant for stepping 19.75 feet from the basket to fire three-pointers.
“I commend her leadership,” Skedzielewski said during an afternoon practice.
The coach guided Fiocca as the head man for the Amateur Athletic Union’s Mid-Atlantic Magic, so he had been quite aware of her abilities.
“She’s always had it in her to be a great voice to listen to,” he said. “I’m happy she’s become more comfortable.”
The teen credits him for putting more belief in her basketball identity. She hopes to continue developing her winning image on the next level where she is leaning toward majoring in physical therapy. Late summer will see her turn 18, and she is excited about competing in an All-Star Classic at a to-be-determined site.
“That is my best achievement,” she said of earning an invitation.
Graduation will bring some pain, but she wants her remaining high school time to be joyous. Postseason victories would certainly help.
“The talent is there,” she said. “We have to execute.”
Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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