Savanah Abbott leads Bishop Canevin girls basketball into new era

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, January 17, 2021 | 9:01 AM

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Two program icons that helped Bishop Canevin win the WPIAL Class 2A championship last year, as well as titles in their freshman and sophomore seasons in 2017 and 2018, are playing college ball now.

Alyssa Pollice and Diajha Allen left their golden mark on a Crusaders program that has won four district crowns in the last five years with Pollice now at Westminster and Allen at St. Francis (Pa).

Now 5-foot-9 senior guard/forward Savanah Abbott hopes to help fill a large void for Bishop Canevin on and off the floor.

“So far in our shortened season, she has been a very good leader and role model,” Bishop Canevin coach Jim Kaczorowski said. “We are going to need that from her. We are a very young team.”

Indeed, Abbott is one of only two seniors on the Crusaders roster.

“The team definitely took a major loss, losing two of our best starters, and they were also an intricate part of the team off the court as well,” Abbott said. “They were major leaders in the game as well. I learned a lot from what they had to offer.

“I knew with it being my senior season I would have to majorly step up to the plate because those are really big shoes to fill. Losing both of them meant we had to rearrange our starting lineup. All of the girls are working so hard, and we are doing a good job, too, by reviewing all of the plays each practice so we have them down pat.”

Like most teams, Bishop Canevin had to wait to tip off the 2020-2021 campaign until Jan. 9. In the three weeks of downtime in which players were not allowed to get together as a team to practice, Abbott was rarely seen without a basketball in her hands.

“Whether it was in my backyard or going to a court with a winter jacket and gloves on, during these times you have to match the crazy and do crazy things yourself,” Abbott said. “Thinking outside the box has definitely helped me. Also, I’ve been running outside to keep up my conditioning, playing defense with my mom to keep up my strength and playing catch with my sister to try to keep my coordination up to par.”

Another aspect of her game that Abbott is trying to get used to during these pandemic times is playing the game she loves in a mask.

“I try to run with a mask and do as many things as possible with a mask because if we have to wear them, I don’t want that to be a hindrance,” Abbott said. “I want it to be like second nature and as if it’s normal.”

While she may have a mask covering part of her face, opponents are finding it more difficult to cover her.

While Kaczorowski said he’d like to see Abbott be more aggressive to the hoop, he said her overall game is very impressive.

“She can do pretty much everything,” he said. “She can shoot, pass, handle the ball, rebound and defend bigs or guards.”

After re-alignment last year, Bishop Canevin dropped from Class 2A to Class A for the next two years. The Crusaders were placed in Section 1, where one of their new rivals will be two-time defending Class A district champion Rochester.

“I feel that everyone, including the coaches, has a very excited look on moving down to Class A,” Abbott said. “It’s new blood basically, new territory to learn and get to know with new girls and coaches to play against.

“I think it’s a great thing to switch it up. It allows for us to not get comfortable. I think it’s going to be interesting, and I’m super excited, as is my team and coaching staff. I believe in my girls and coaches that whatever we put our minds to, we can do.”

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