SECTION 4 GIRLS' BASKETBALL: TWO-TIME DEFENDING SECTIONAL CHAMPS ELMIRA READY FOR NEW SEASON (15 PHOTOS) (November 17, 2025)

BY BRIAN FEES
Southern Tier Sports Report
ELMIRA — It’s back to work for the Elmira girls’ basketball team coming off back-to-back sectional championships the past two seasons.

“We are excited,” Elmira coach A’Don Allen said. “Different group this year, we are a little younger, which is okay. We have had a really good preseason. Good participation in the preseason. They worked really hard. There are going to be some growing pains early on, but our expectations are the same. We expect to be playing for a sectional championship and be in the state playoffs, that’s our goal every year and it doesn’t change.”

The players are excited as they get to work preparing for the season.

“Energy is fantastic,” Allen said. “The last couple of weeks leading up we had some great sessions and I think it’s really good. I think it’s a little nervous right now. There is a lot of nervous energy, but I likeit. This group, they are really, really coachable. They want to have fun and they want to learn, and that’s all you can ask for.”

The roster has plenty of new faces, but they are looking good as the season gets set to begin.

“They look good,” Allen said. “We are a little inexperienced with only two girls back from last year’s team, but our JV team did fairly well the last two years and we are ready to go. We played pretty well together in summer league. Like I said, we have to work some things out and it’s the first day, but I’m optimistic.”

One of the returning players, Meya Smith, is coming off a big summer, and she has multiple Division I basketball offers now.

“She’s worked really hard,” Allen said. “She has worked really hard this summer. She’s worked really hard her whole career, but she’s worked really hard this offseason. She has earned her three D1 scholarship offers she has. It’s hard to believe she’s already in her technically third year of varsity as a 10th grader.”
————
PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES

PHOTO GALLERY FROM PRACTICE:

Print Friendly Version