ND-Fairfield focused on future, not ‘what-ifs?’
FAIRFIELD — None of them have and all three Notre Dame Fairfield seniors want it badly.
“I have seen people play there,” Kayla Tilus said. “It’s my dream.”
“Been there,” Aizhanique Mayo said.
Ever dribbled a ball or taken a shot there?
“No, no,” Mayo said. “Never.”
“Playing there would be amazing,” Sara Macary said. “We have the capability.”
No one doubts Notre Dame girls basketball team’s capability to get to the CIAC Class L championship at Mohegan Sun in March.
Notre Dame could have won the state title in 2020. And 2021.
Considered again the most talented team in Connecticut, in ordinary times Notre Dame could be poised for a three-peat.
These are not ordinary times.
The Run To The Sun has become The Run Into COVID.
The best weekend on the state’s athletic calendar remains a date that fate has continually broken with Maria Conlon’s team. A potential dynasty robbed by a masked virus.
“The past is the past,” Conlon said. “People say to me all the time, ‘You should be going for a three-peat.’ Who knows? I’m not focused on that. I’m focused on what we can do to get better next game.
“From there, we’ll roll the dice like everyone else.”
Psychoanalysts might call the previous sentence a Freudian casino slip.
“Last year, we knew coming in we weren’t going to have a postseason so that was a little different,” said Conlon, who became head coach five months before COVID hit. “It was really hard getting kids motivated at times to put full effort every day, knowing ‘what are we doing this for?’ I do think we did a good job of channeling all that to get better as humans, teammates, friends and players.
“This year, I’m hoping for some semblance of a postseason. If we all do the
things we’re supposed to, we should. What it will look like I don’t know.” Nobody does. Varsity has been separated from junior varsity at practice. Freshmen have practiced at a different time. Unlike many schools, Notre Dame hasn’t missed any games because of the latest COVID onslaught.
“Knock on wood,” said Conlon, knocking on her head.
Save a 36-33 loss to Masuk last season when the entire varsity was benched because a few players were in breach of a school rule/ protocol, Notre Dame hasn’t been beaten in-state since 2019.
“We have a lot of talent,” Tilus said. “When it comes together, we’re unstoppable.”
The three were first-, second- and third-team All-State last year. Mayo isn’t afraid to say her goals are state champion and 2022 Gatorade Player of the Year.
Conlon wanted to challenge her team early this season. She brought them to a tournament at St. John Vianney in Holmdel, N.J. When a team had to pull out because of COVID, Notre Dame played Cardinal O’Hara, a perennial power from Springfield, Pa. O’Hara won by 24 on Dec. 17.
“It was tough, but really good for us,” Conlon said. “I don’t think we’ll see anyone in the state, from a physical standpoint, like them. Their shortest girls were as big as our tallest girls. They’re really, really good. They don’t even dribble. They just pass and cut.”
Notre Dame was also down a couple players, including junior starter Rowan Houston, former Knick Allan’s daughter. She broke her nose in a scrimmage, required surgery and is being fitted for her mask Tuesday.
“Still, we didn’t play anywhere near to where we
could,” Conlon said. “They’re probably 10-12 points better than us. Not 24.”
The team stayed at a hotel overnight. It was good team bonding time. There also was a 10 a.m. tip the next day against Immaculate Conception of Montclair.
“Something our kids have never had to do after a loss,” Conlon said. “A tough rebound, but we played really well. We were down one with 31⁄2 minutes left. A couple of calls and bounces go our way it’s a totally different game.”
Notre Dame lost by eight. “We had a choice of playing one or two games and we chose two,” Conlon said. “We’ve been having a tough time trying to get some people in-state to get our games. It was a good experience for the girls to travel a little bit, see a different atmosphere. We didn’t get the results we wanted, but from a learning and team growth standpoint it accomplished exactly what we wanted. I was proud of the way we handled those two losses.”
The team returned home, watched video, discussed things it did and didn’t do well.
“And we put it behind us,” Conlon said.
The two losses? “They fuel us,” Tilus said. Mayo said the trip energized the team. Macary said communication improved. Notre Dame beat Thomaston 73-38, and New London 72-48, in its Christmas tournament. Next up for Notre Dame, 3-2, was Joel Barlow on Thursday.
A point guard with strong court sense, Mayo, averaging 23 points, seven assists and six rebounds, has a lethal 3-point shot. Not the quickest release, but it’s methodical and consistent.
“Even as good as Nique was the past two years, her growth over the summer and fall — no one is in this gym working more on her game than her,” Conlon said. “She played great in our Christmas tournament.
“She didn’t get the results
she wanted in the first few games. I think she was trying to do too much at once and not letting the game come to her. What she has now is explosiveness with the ball in her hands. It really increased since last year. And that’s what she’ll need at the next level.”
Conlon guided Mayo during the recruiting process as she sifted through 30 offers. Mayo picked Marquette. Conlon played against coach Megan Duffy in college. UConn vs. Notre Dame. They know each other well.
“I feel like coach Duffy and her staff have the ability to get me to the next level that I want to play at,” Mayo said. “I love the campus, too.”
“Nique was deciding between Marquette and Houston,” Conlon said. “Houston is really, really fast, up-and-down tempo. Not that she can’t do that, I didn’t feel it was necessarily suited for her style. Marquette is a great fit, the Big East is the right conference for her, the offense they run is well-suited for her.”
Conlon is excited to be able to see Mayo play against the likes of UConn, Providence, Seton Hall, St. John’s. Mayo, Conlon and a number of others, in fact, were set to watch Marquette play UConn at the XL Center last week.
“We had tickets,” Mayo said.
Game off. COVID. “That was a bummer.” Conlon said.
Tilus, averaging 15 points, four assists and five steals, will not be far away either. She will play at LIU. She kids that her mom will miss her, but can see her play anytime, including right across the street against NEC opponent Sacred Heart. Macary who transferred from Naugatuck as a junior, is undecided.
“Kayla is super long and athletic in that 2 spot,” Conlon said. “Her ballhandling skills got dramatically better in the offseason. Her length on defense creates a lot of problems for other teams.”
“I think Sara’s a low-DI, a steal at D2. She has really grown as far as basketball IQ since she came here. She’s a program kid. Will run through the wall for you. Super coachable. Respectful. Nice. All the attributes you can’t teach.”
And willing to make the half-hour drive every morning down 8 and on the Merritt.
“I started working out in the summer (before junior year) and got close to Nique and Kayla and all the girls,” said Macary, averaging 12 points and seven rebounds. “They welcomed me fully. I love coach Maria. She’ll be hard on you, but she knows how good you can be and will push you to be your best.”
That should surprise no one who saw Conlon play for three national champions in Storrs.
“There are some days I wonder what I’m getting myself into, but only because I don’t know how to do anything except 190 million percent,” said Conlon, who besides coaching and developing an AAU program is a financial advisor at Maffe Financial Group, and will open Steady Habits, a high-end tasting lounge, in April in Shelton featuring fresh foods, wines and spirits from the area. “I love what I’m doing.”
Tilus almost went to Kolbe. Mayo transferred as a freshman from St. Joseph. They have been playing basketball with and against each other since they were young. The decision to play at Notre Dame?
“Best one of my life,” Tilus said. “Nique is probably my best friend. The whole team is close. Our hearts are set on winning a state championship.”
“We could have won a state championship a couple of times,” Mayo said. “It hurts me. This is my last year. I want a ring.”