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Cirillo makes her presence felt at Keene State
KEENE, N.H. 2/11/10 - Courtney Cirillo isn't the top shooter, or for that matter, the top rebounder on the Keene State women's basketball team, but that hasn't stopped the sophomore forward from Windsor Locks, Conn., from making her presence felt on the court this season.
As long-time Keene State women's basketball coach Keith Boucher is known to say, "It's not how many points or rebounds you get, it's when you get those points and rebounds that really matters." And Cirillo has a knack for getting big baskets and big rebounds when it really matters for the Owls.
Tuesday's 59-56 upset win over Eastern Conn. was one fine example. Cirillo might have finished with just eight points and five rebounds, but she hit a clutch jumper with under five minutes to play and later ran down a key offensive rebound that resulted in a basket that put the Owls up by eight points with 1:30 to play.
"I was just going for the ball. I didn't want to give them a chance to come back," said Cirillo after the game. "We needed this win. We want to finish the season strong."
It's all about winning as far as Cirillo is concerned. "She's a coaches' dream," said Boucher. "Courtney has toughness about her, and she brings it to the floor every day."
Drawn to the sport because of its physical nature, Cirillo began honing her skills at a young age. When there was no league offered for fifth and sixth graders in town, her dad, Ernie, stepped in and ran the program. Cirillo later played on a couple of AAU travel teams before moving on to Windsor Locks High School.
Jim O'Brien, who recently stepped down as the girls' coach at Windsor Locks, called Cirillo the best athlete he's coached in his 20-year career. "Courtney might not be the best shooter or dribbler, but she's incredibly effective and does the little things that people watching the game don't realize," he said. "She's also as competitive as anyone you will ever see."
As a sophomore, Cirillo helped lead the Raiders to the semifinal round of the State (Class S) tournament. "The Kolbe Cathedral team we faced was more athletic, but Courtney didn't back down one bit," said O'Brien. "The higher the stakes, the better she shines."
A 1,000-point career scorer at Windsor Locks High, Courtney earned All-State and All-Conference honors as a senior.
Keene State has turned out to be a perfect fit for Cirillo. She's a no-nonsense player, and Boucher is a no-nonsense coach. After seeing her playing time escalate at the end of her freshman season, Cirillo has become a prime-time player on a Keene State team that enters Saturday's road game against LEC front-runner Western Conn. with a 14-7 (6-5 LEC) record.
Cirillo, who has also seen time in the Owls' backcourt this season, scored a career-high 23 points the last time the two teams met back on Jan. 12 at Spaulding Gym. A career-best 10-rebound performance came against rival Plymouth State.
The 5'9" Cirillo faces a tall order every time she steps on the court. Typically matched up against bigger players, she must compensate for her lack of size with strength and quickness. "I don't really mind going up against bigger and taller players," she said. "I think about it as physical competition. I'm just going to be aggressive and do whatever it takes to win."
