Christina DeFalco was the sixth man for the North Haven girls’ basketball team this season and the junior saw an increased role due to her superior effort on the defensive side of the ball.

Christina’s great defensive play earned her more minutes, which helped develop her overall game. That, in turn, resulted in Christina winning the Indians’ Most Improved Player Award for the second consecutive season. It’s an honor Christina is quite familiar with as she also won it last fall as a defender/midfielder for the girls’ soccer squad.

“Progressively since freshman year, I’ve definitely seen an improvement in my game. It’s always a great feeling,” says Christina. “Everyone says to me that I have to get it senior year, too, so I’m three years running.”

Christina’s defensive prowess is aided by her intellect on the court. She also feels comfortable guarding any opponent, will usually beat them to a certain spot on the floor, and has a great idea of when to either press or lay off. The fact that Christina saw more playing time this season allowed her to focus additional energy on her offensive game, which brought upon a bump in her statistics throughout the campaign.

“On the shooting side, it’s always been a little difficult for me, but as the years have gone by, I’ve seen a great improvement,” says Christina. “I would go outside and practice for a little bit, working on my form because that’s always helpful. I’d ask my coaches if they had any pointers to help with my shot and my overall offensive game.”

Head Coach Ray Degnan says Christina often stays late to take additional shots, complete extra ball-handling drills, and do conditioning to help refine her skill set. These characteristics were keys in Degnan naming her one of North Haven’s two captains for next season’s squad.

“The role of the captain on a varsity athletic team is something I take very seriously. The chosen person must always be willing to be the exception. In a way, they are a lighthouse. The captain is alone on an island, acting as a beacon for her teammates to follow. She must be willing to accept responsibility for herself and everyone else on her team, all those other ships, at all times—good or bad. She must lead them in the right direction, especially when they are supremely resistant,” says Degnan. “She must be willing to allow others to bask in the glory of a win and, alone, shoulder the inevitable criticism that follows a loss, knowing it is best for her team. There is only room for selflessness and, in that resilience, comes a great leader that young women will follow and upon which a program can build. Christina has displayed every one of these characteristics throughout her time in the basketball program and, truthfully, throughout her time at North Haven High School. I have known she would be a captain since her sophomore year and am very happy to have that prediction come to fruition.”

Being a captain is something Christina is really looking forward to next season as she knows she has what it takes to help lead the Indians back to postseason action on the heels of an 11-win campaign the featured their first SCC Tournament victory.

“I’m extremely excited. We’re really excited to see what next year can bring to us, especially with us all trying to set the program into a different light and change the way of what people may have originally thought of our program. We just want to just keep moving forward in the direction of success,” says Christina. “I find myself to have a good leadership role and I’m very down to earth. I’m always motivating the girls and always pushing them, pushing myself, and keeping everything positive while we’re striving for greatness.”