The Lady Mustangs basketball team at Manville High School have just concluded their 2023-2024 season. They ended their season at the quarterfinals of the NJSIAA Tournament at Point Pleasant! The girls won their first round of the tournament against Henry Hudson, and this was the first time in 11 years that the Lady Mustangs have won a state game! All of the girls worked hard throughout the season, as shown with every game they played.
Head coach, Michael Knitowksi has been coaching the Lady Mustangs basketball team at Manville High School for 11 years! Being a coach for that long, there is always something done differently each year to top the year before. Coach Knitowksi believes the concepts have always been the same, as well as the core values that the coaching staff try to teach the players day in and day out. When asked what his biggest accomplishment of this season was, Knitowksi responded, “My biggest accomplishment every year is to help guide my players to become better people on and off the court. So when it is their turn to take their place in society, they can be depended on. It’s bigger than basketball, and they understand that.” During the season, there are always challenges that the team will face, especially when they are playing 3-4 games per week. Coach Knitwoski believes the biggest challenge for the team is always dealing with the day in and day out grind, as well as having little to no downtime because they’re constantly preparing for the next opponent. A big accomplishment this season was making the state tournament and winning a state game. It is the first time in 11 years that the Lady Mustangs have won a state game and Knitowksi’s first as a coach! He feels this is very special for them as a program for moving in the right direction.
Senior Valentina Barrios and junior Hailey Bentz both are big parts of the team, as they strive to become the best players they can possibly be. Valentina’s biggest accomplishment this season is, “Scoring the most points in one season at 288 points, as well as getting the team together and having a successful season filled with memories and making history with this group of girls.” Hailey’s biggest accomplishment this season is, “Doubling my 3 pointers made from the last two years.” Both of the girls’ favorite memory this season was winning their first home state game back to back with the boys. When asked what Coach Knitowksi has done this season that helped motivate them as players, Valentina says, “He taught me that it’s more than basketball and when part of a team never put yourself first; it will always be we/me. He also taught me that nothing is impossible, and if you really wanna win and you have to put in work and it’s never gonna become easy- you just learn to deal with hard a easier way.” Hailey says, “Something Coach Knitowski has done that has helped motivate me as a player would be continuously pushing us in the off season and always being honest about how either myself or teammates play, which makes us want to do better.”
Congratulations to the Lady Mustangs’ basketball team and Coach Knitowksi on a great season filled with many accomplishments to be proud of!
