HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS' BASKETBALL: IT WAS A MEMORABLE SEASON FOR SPARTANS AND MCGEE PLAYED A KEY ROLE (2023-02-27)

By Brian Fees
Southern Tier Sports Report
The end came sooner than the Edison Spartans would have liked.

That’s the thing that can happen in the playoffs, every game is win, or the season is over.

Still, a loss in the playoffs doesn’t take away what a season it was for the Spartans. Another playoff win, before last year it had been nearly 20 years since that happened. A win over Waverly, for the first time in two decades, and big wins after big wins.

There were plenty of reasons for the Spartans success. And, while Payton Littlefield was a star, a first team-IAC all-star who fills up the box score, Gianna McGee played a big role with contributions that don’t always show up in the box score.

McGee was a jack of all trades for the Spartans this year. She’s a defensive specialist, who helps run the offense, and by the end of the season was emerging as one of the better scoring threats in the IAC.

For the senior defense is what she loves.

“I’ve always liked defense more than offense,” she said. “I’m not really sure why, but like steals and rebounds are everything to me.”

The combination of McGee and Littlefield both play well off each other.

“It’s nice that both of us can bring up the ball so I can set a screen for her and she can set a screen for me,” McGee said. “Knowing how well we play together and knowing she’ll always be there to help me out and I will to really helps things on the floor.”

A year ago McGee missed the beginning of the season and it was noticeable how it impacted the team not having her ball handling and defense on the floor.

“I was dying to get in, but I had to heal up a little bit.”

Defense is something that McGee works hard on, and along with the steals, she gets a lot of deflections that lead to other people getting steals.

“I just like having a hand not he ball, if my other teammates get it, I’m all for it,” McGee said.

For McGee there are a lot of times that her defense translated to offense.

“I get a sense of adrenaline, it feels so nice to be faster than anyone on the court,” McGee said of scoring on the fast break.

This year has been different for McGee as her scoring took a huge jump, especially during the second half of the year when she had big games in big wins over Waverly and Watkins Glen.

“It’s been really different for me,” McGee said. “I’m not really used to scoring much over 10 points, but with all my steals and everything it’s cool and fun.”

For McGee there is a different confidence level in her shooting and that’s help increase the scoring.

“I used to not shoot as much because I had Payton and she’s a really good shooter,” McGee said. “Now, I’m feeling more confident.”

There were some big wins during the year, and they were special for the team.

“It’s been really fun, especially with the big wins,” McGee said. “It was really fun (beating Waverly) we were like banging the lockers and everything, celebrating with my team. I’m going to miss them all.”

There has been a lot of history making the past two years for the Spartans, starting with the sectional win a year ago and then the win over Waverly this year.

“20 years  think we hadn’t beat Waverly, so that meant a lot to me and I know it meant a lot to the girls and coach,” McGee said.

Next for McGee she helps to play in college.

“I want to play in college, I’m not sure yet, I’m still deciding.”
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PHOTO BY BRIAN FEES.