Giavanna Rogers seems ready for the big stage.
This winter, the Bishop Eustace Preparatory School sophomore stepped on the court and immediately became a go-to option for new coach Salvatore Racobaldo.
“She’s a very unselfish player, and she’s starting to learn how to control the game for us, which is very important for how we play,” said Racobaldo, a first-time high school coach and a 1990 Eustace graduate. “We try to get up and down the court, and she dictates whether we continue to go forward or slow it down and run a play or two.”
Rogers mostly came off the bench last year before working her way into the starting lineup late in the season under former coach John Considine. That’s when the confidence started brewing and Rogers took it to another level.
“When I learned I could compete at the varsity level as a freshman, that made me really feel more confident,” she said.
Rogers focuses on basketball these days but previously dabbled in other sports before high school, including soccer and swimming.
Now it’s all basketball all the time, as Rogers also plays AAU ball for the Mid Atlantic Heat. Her experience and knowledge of the game at a young age has set her apart despite just beginning her sophomore season.
“She’s our silent leader,” Racobaldo said. “I put a lot of pressure on her in practice to make sure that when we come into games she’s prepared to deal with a lot of different things. She’s done a very good job.”
Rogers dropped a career high 20 points on Dec. 17 as the Crusaders defeated Haddon Heights, 44-34, to earn Racobaldo his first high school victory. Bishop Eustace figures to be in a rebuilding year with just one senior, Lauren Laratta, and no juniors. But don’t tell that to a group of hungry sophomores that includes Rogers, Aislynn Higgins, Claire Jefferis, Hayley Noonan, Isabella Serano and Alaina Staab.
“We’re young, but so far, we’ve come a long way,” Rogers said. “We’re four sophomores and a senior [in the starting lineup], but I think we can do really well this year.”
Rogers loves to compete, both on the court and in the classroom.
“I take my grades seriously,” Rogers said. “It’s basketball and school work. That’s pretty much it. I study a lot.”
She also takes part in her school’s Culture of Life Club, which serves Bishop Eustace’s community by highlighting the sanctity of human life from conception until natural death, especially the most vulnerable. Throughout the school year, the club holds events to raise awareness of life issues and gain material support for various apostolates.
Somehow, Rogers even squeezes in time to take part in her school’s Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics scholar club and Women in STEM club.
“It’s a special science program, more for people who want to go into a science field,” Rogers said. “I’m not sure exactly what I want to do yet, but that sounds like fun for me. I like biology and learning about life.”
There’s also a lot of life lessons on the court. And Rogers is catching on quickly.
“It’s a fast game and you get a lot of chances,” Rogers said. “In other sports, you might only get one or two chances a game, but in basketball, if you make a mistake, you can fix it and put anything behind you that is bad and focus on the good. That’s why I love basketball.”
at the bottom and then tap “Add to Home Screen”
