Brantley does it all for Catskill
Prolific scorer flashes all-around game and leadership for the Cats
CATSKILL — Chris Quinn knows each Sunday he will receive a text message from Janay Brantley asking her coach for gym time. Brantley, a six-year varsity girls’ basketball standout at Catskill, has definitely put in the extra time to hone her skills and her relentless pursuit of excellence has paid off.
“She is a grinder. If she works on a move in practice and it doesn’t work, she is not leaving,” Quinn said. “She will keep working on it in the gym until she gets it right.”
Brantley became the 11th player in Section II girls’ basketball history to reach the 2,000-point club on Jan. 6 when she poured in 40 points in a 73-52 Patroon Conference victory over Coxsackie-Athens. The 6-foot senior guard leads the Cats in every statistical category with averages of 31.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 8.1 steals and 6.9 assists per game. She currently ranks No. 8 on the all-time Section II scoring list with 2,053 points after delivering 25 points, 18 assists and 11 rebounds in 22 minutes Tuesday in a 97-23 victory over Albany Leadership.
“It is a hard accomplishment and I know the work and commitment those players put in to reach that goal,” Brantley said.
Given her scoring propensity and the number of games she has remaining, and can potentially add during the Section II Class B Tournament, Brantley could vault into the top five with Wendi Schoff (St. Johnsville) at No. 5 with 2,285 points, Anita Kaplan (Bethlehem) at No. 4 with 2,445 points and Amy Bolen (Bishop Gibbons/Middlebugh) at No. 3 with 2,573 points.
“I am glad I don’t have to play her in the Suburban Council, making a practice to try to stop Janay Brantley,” said Colonie junior standout Bella Franchi, a teammate of Brantley’s with the NY Havoc. “It would be, well, she does this, does that and does everything. She is such a tough player to play against and she would be doing big things no matter what league she was playing in. I am glad I get to be her teammate. She is so much fun to watch, whether it is hav
ing 18 assists or her finishing. What a great player.”
When she began her varsity career as a seventh grader during the 2017-18 season, Brantley showed her abilities to get to the rim with ease and make superlative passes. Those abilities remain intact, yet the senior elevated the rest of her game once she entered high school to become a potent all-around competitor that is committed to play at Division I Stony Brook.
“As I got older, I got more under control,” Brantley said. “I understand my surroundings more and what I need to change and add to my game.”
“From Day 1, she could always handle the ball and always looked to get other people to score,” Quinn said. “With not always having great talent around her, I would say, ‘Nay, we need a bucket.’ She could always handle the ball and always had a great basketball IQ. It has been fun to see the whole game evolve. It has been amazing and I’ve had a front seat to it.”
“When she was younger, she was one of the girls. As she got older, she sort of separated herself and a huge part of that were her brothers,” NY Havoc coach Terrance Florence said.
Brantley drew inspiration watching older brothers Jordan and Justice play basketball at Catskill.
Justice Brantley is currently enjoying a standout senior season playing at Utica College.
“Growing up around basketball and watching my brothers play was fun. I liked being competitive and it was something I wanted to do,” Brantley said. “I put in a lot of time during the offseason and playing with the Havoc since the sixth grade. I would always be in the gym with my brothers and my parents.”
“It is so fun and rewarding for me because I watched when she was a seventh grader at how hard she worked and how much she wanted it,” Quinn said. “Every year, she has matured and grown. She is a great young lady and is an incredible basketball player. It shows what hard work can get you. Nothing was given to her.”
The biggest addition to Brantley’s game is making her jumper a consistent weapon. Quinn has worked with the senior on her release point and Brantley ranks 11th in Section II with 27 3-pointers.
“Most importantly, it was nice to see her commitment. I started to see it a few years ago,” Florence said. “She would come up to Albany. I had a shooting machine and she would want to stay there forever and her dad would say it is time to go. She would literally stay there all day if you would let her. She always wants to be good and to push herself. It has been fun to see it all come together to be the total package player.”
“It has always been a team sport and I am about the team. You need all five players on the court to succeed,” Brantley said. “Anything you can do to be a good player, and not just score points, is what I want to do.”