The North Branford girls’ basketball team took major steps forward after a surprisingly lengthy visit in the state tournament last March, and the T-Birds will look to build upon those strides and make them major leaps for the 2023-2024 campaign.

Last season with largely a younger team in terms of varsity experience, North Branford finished off the regular season with an 8-12 record to qualify for not only the Shoreline Conference Tournament, but also the Class S State Tournament draw.

In the league bracket, North Branford saw an 83-55 quarterfinal round loss to No. 2 seed Valley Regional as the seventh-ranked club. But it turned out that the second postseason phase was much more thrilling and exhilarating for Head Coach Sabrina LeMere’s squad.

As the No. 22 seed in Class S, North Branford first traveled to No. 11-ranked Stafford on March 1 and emerged with a 67-57 first-round road win. The T-Birds continued to bust the bracket by then dispatching sixth-seeded Lyman Memorial, 58-53, on March 3. The fun run would conclude, though, in the quarterfinals on March 8 with a 74-36 defeat at the hands of No. 3 Somers as the dust settled to the tune of a 10-14 overall mark for North Branford.

LeMere explained that the T-Birds will look to again ascend with the same mentality of winning and gaining each day of the campaign, as they return a wiser bunch following a lengthy postseason push.

“Overall, we have a strong program this year and we are looking to make a run in both the Shoreline Conference and the state tournaments,” said LeMere. “Having a team led by four seniors, and underclassmen who work hard and want to get better each day, we have an opportunity to do something in both tournaments this year.”

The captain’s helm is held solely in the backcourt with a quartet of seniors in guards of Keana Criscuolo, Nicole Timario, Natalia Lucibello, and Callie Holzer. Criscuolo, also committing to play field hockey at Southern Connecticut State University, comes back to the fold as the club’s leading scorer last year. Holzer is ready to continue her presence as a force on the glass.

“Keana is our leading scorer who brings so much knowledge of the game to our team,” said LeMere. “Callie is a two-year starter and contributes with her energy and attitude.”

Additionally, Lucibello is back for her second season as a starter and will continue her athletic career in college with softball at Wagner. Lastly, Timario brings a ton of court culture and acumen from volleyball.

“Natalia is a two-year starter and is powerful under the boards. She is also an incredible softball player who committed to Wagner to play softball,” said LeMere. “Nicole is a ball of energy and works hard every day to get better. She is also an amazing volleyball player. All four of these girls work just as hard on the court as they do in the classroom. These girls are looked upon as role models, and understand the importance of their dedication to school and the sport.”

Within the underclassmen ranks are a tandem of sophomore sensations that garnered some valuable minutes as rookies last winter in guards Emma Preiss and Skylar Gage. LeMere praised the pair for showing a great hunger for success by satiating their appetite with a wealth of offseason hustle.

“Emma Preiss and Skylar Gage are two players to keep an eye out for. Both are sophomores who are talented and ready to fight for a spot on the court,” LeMere said. “These girls came in this season ready to go, working on their skills throughout the offseason. Both are also high academically, and put in ample effort both on the court and in the classroom.”

North Branford eyes key Shoreline Conference clashes with East Hampton and Cromwell. Yet more importantly, LeMere wants each competitor on this team to know their worth and show it through their actions on the floor, and how they facilitate those feelings off of it.

“I want my girls to gain confidence throughout the season and understand their worth,” said LeMere. “So many athletes struggle with knowing how valued they are, and to me this is something I will not stand for. They will be pushed by all coaches in order to perform their best, but they will be confident and know we are pushing them in order to reach the heights we know they can reach.”

As the girls will need to create a more frenetic and faster pace when they have possession of the ball, thanks to the implementation of a new element within the CIAC, the Thunderbirds know they have the tools, talent, and mentality to stand tall above it all and keep moving without skipping a beat.

“This team is going to be a special team this year, and already you can see it in their eyes that they want to win,” said LeMere. “It definitely will be a different season with the installation of the shot clock, but as the coaching staff we are ready to adapt, and I know the team is ready for anything that is thrown their way.”

LeMere is back for her fourth season as the head coach for North Branford. Assisting her are new assistant coach Chris Drexler, and now eight-year veteran Steve Saunders.

The North Branford team roster for this winter is comprised of seniors Holzer, Timario, Criscuolo, Lucibello; juniors Catherine Raynor, Alexa DeFrancesco, Makaila Amin, Gabriella Bigio; sophomores Preiss, Gage, Alyssa Marino, Terasa Comfort, MaKayla Brown; and freshmen Ella Chasanoff, and Siena Podzikowski.

2023-2024 North Branford Girls’ Basketball Regular Season Schedule

Tuesday, Dec. 19: vs. Cromwell at 7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 21: vs. Haddam-Killingworth at 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 27: at Bethel at 5 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 2: vs. Morgan at 7 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 5: at East Hampton at 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 9: at Westbrook at 6 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 11: vs. Hale-Ray at 7 p.m

Tuesday, Jan. 16: vs. East Hampton at 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 19: at Coginchaug at 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 23: at Portland at 7 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 25: at Berlin at 6 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 27: vs. Old Lyme at 7 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 29: vs. Bacon Academy at 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 31: at Hale-Ray at 7 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 2: at Cromwell at 7 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 5: at Haddam-Killingworth at 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 7: at East Haven at 6 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 9: at Morgan at 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 13: vs. East Hampton at 7 p.m.