Towers are often significant landmarks in the communities in which they’re erected.
In Arnold, the water tower is one of the most identifiable features for motorists along I-55.
Fox High School is within the shadow of the 182-foot tower, and the girls basketball team has its own towering presence in senior center Taylor D’Aquila (6-1), who’s second in the St. Louis area with 43 blocked shots. D’Aquila has blocked 139 shots in her career and in a 51-38 win over Veritas Christian Academy in the Orchard Farm Tournament in St. Charles on Dec. 17, she set the school record by blocking 13 shots.
“She’s improved so much,” Fox head coach Cory Riley said. “I wish I had a couple of more years with her. We work on post stuff every day in practice and she excels at it all.”
D’Aquila is averaging almost five points per game, which is a little above her career average. Senior point guard Izzy Frissell leads the Warriors with 25 3-point baskets, 48 free throws and 16.5 points per game. Frissell needs fewer than 100 points to reach 1,000 in her career.
D’Aquila is accurate taking jump shots and has good footwork in the paint area. A dual-sport athlete, she also played for the school’s volleyball team in the fall. The two sports offer skills that benefit the other.
“Her anticipation is very improved and she’s a solid volleyball player. She uses that anticipation in basketball,” Riley said. “I’m extremely proud of (D’Aquila and Frissell).”
Fox (3-10, 0-2) lost 66-41 at home Jan. 9 to University City High (7-4, 2-0) in a Suburban Conference Green pool game. The Warriors were in Imperial to play Windsor High (6-7) of the Jefferson County Activities Association large-schools division Monday and hosted Northwest High (0-9, 0-2) on Tuesday in pool play after the Leader deadline.
Fox played the other team from Imperial in the Candy Cane Classic last month, and the host Seckman Jaguars (7-3) rolled to a 66-40 victory.
Beginning her freshman season when she averaged a double-double in scoring (17 points) and rebounds (13), sophomore center Mollie Bailey (6-4) has become a lightning rod for Jaguar opponents. In the matchup with D’Aquila and the Warriors, Bailey had one of her best nights with 32 points and 18 rebounds. She grabbed 23 rebounds in a win over Pattonville High in December. Through 10 games, Bailey has slightly exceeded last season’s totals.
Knee surgery last March forced Bailey to miss all of the summer workouts. Now every game she plays, she said she’s gaining confidence in how her knee will respond to the surgery and rehab.
“More momentum coming in. My finishing’s gotten better,” Bailey said. “I’m playing smart and not fouling. I’m making more free throws. I’m getting doubled and tripled everywhere. I look for my teammates Julia (Pfau) and Payton (Bantle) to get points from the outside.”
Both guards, Pfau (14), a junior, and Bantle (11.7), a senior, are averaging double-digit scoring, and Pfau is one of the top assist leaders in the STL with 4.90 per game.
“All three do different things well. You have to stop three different things when you play us,” Seckman head coach Kevin Werner said. “We really get after it and work hard and have the possibility of having multiple double-digit scorers.”
After such a promising freshman campaign, Werner was eager to watch Bailey’s offseason growth. There was plenty of uncertainty how quickly she’d regain her abilities.
“She kept working on her game,” Werner said. “We didn’t have a drop off when she got back. We learned to play without her this summer and the girls are doing a good job of finding her. We’re not giving up a lot of second- and third-chance shots. When (Bailey) gets the ball and the double team comes, we look for the other players to spot up and get the ball. Mollie is looking more comfortable and fluid kicking the ball back out.”
The Jaguars are 3-0 in pool play and won their third game in a row with a 52-34 victory at home against Mehlville (6-4, 0-1) in a Green pool game Jan. 8. The Big Three did their part for the Jags, with Bailey’s 22 points and 18 boards on top.
“A lot of it was second-chance shots from my teammates,” Bailey said.
“Mehlville is having a good season,” Werner said. “Our defense was phenomenal. We stressed not letting their leading scorer (junior forward Lexi Timmerman) get going. We got through the press. We finished around the basket. Offensively we were efficient.”
Seckman’s next four games are on the road, which started at Kirkwood High on Tuesday after deadline, and resumes tonight at 6:30 at Notre Dame (St. Louis) High.