The only senior on the girls’ varsity basketball team, Dakota Daniello leads the team through example
February 16, 2023
On Feb 14, Dakota Daniello ’23 hit the milestone of 1000 points during her senior game against Rye Country Day School. As she scored 34 points in the game, she joined the five other former Masters girls basketball players who have scored 1000 points in their high school career. During the season, Daniello scored 22 points per game on average, helping the team get to the FAA playoffs.
“Just the way that she can handle the ball is incredible,” the team’s coach Andrea Fischer said. “Most high school students do not have the ability to protect the ball the way that she does. As coaches we know that when the ball is in her hands, it’s secure. And her shot is unbelievable, whether it’s an outside shot or a layup. The way that she just has a way of getting the ball into the net is incredible.”
This year marks the fifth season that Daniello has played for the girls’ varsity basketball team. One of two co-captains, she is the oldest player on the team, as well as the only senior. As a point-guard, she’s had an impressive career both at Masters varsity and in travel basketball.
“As a point guard, [my strength is] distributing the ball, being able to pass to my teammates well, and being able to see where everybody is and get other people open,” Daniello said. “I’m able to handle the ball well in a double team situation, and I can shoot from the outside very well, which helps as well if I can’t drive.”
Daniello started playing basketball at a very young age and joined her first travel team in the 4th grade. In the 8th grade, she moved up from Masters Middle School to the Upper School girls’ varsity team and even contributed to the team’s victory in the NYSAIS championship that year. As she went from being the only 8th-grader on the team to now becoming the only senior, the girls’ varsity team also underwent a transformation.
“When I was younger, in eighth grade, ninth grade, the juniors or seniors at that time, I mean, they went to college for basketball, and they were really great basketball players,” Daniello said. “So coming from a team that has had players who’ve been playing basketball for about as long as me to a team that is not as experienced and just a lot younger, it’s really different. The speed of the game is different; we have to stop and learn more.”
Besides Daniello, there are four juniors, one sophomore, and three freshmen playing on the team with three students being new to the varsity sport. For players coming from middle school, the challenges arise of adjusting to a different pace of the game and learning everything in a limited period of time.
“Since we are a young team, I think some of us are sometimes afraid when we get the ball,” Daniello said, “so I think the challenge is just not being kind of robotic in a way and really trying to be in the flow of the game.”
While facing some obstacles, the team also gains advantage from their young age.
“I think we as a team are kind of more hungry to win,” Daniello said. “A lot of people don’t really have as much faith in us since we’re young, so we give a lot of effort. We dive for loose balls all the time, and we try to steal it from them whenever we have the chance.”
As a player with the most experience in varsity basketball, Daniello helps to teach her younger teammates and motivates them to improve as players.
“I think what I really appreciate about [Daniello] is that she’s one of those kids that leads by example,” Fischer said. “So she’s always the first one to show up to practice, the last one to leave. Every drill that we do, she’s demonstrating everything. Even on a quieter side as a leader, she’s still able to lead a team through her actions. She’s able to teach both during practices as well as in games and help her teammates get to where they need to go.”
Despite many of the players being new, the team has grown closer throughout the season, organizing team dinners and hanging out after practice. As a captain, Daniello puts a lot of effort into supporting her team and creating a fun and safe environment.
“Mostly my goal is to get my teammates involved and just to be a leader and lead us to be even better than last year.” Daniello said. “Before I look to shoot, maybe pass to them first, then cut to the basket and look for who’s open first, before I make a play. Other than that I try to make practice kind of fun and not daunting.”
Daniello said her biggest strength as a captain and a point-guard is her communication skills that help her coordinate the team’s efforts during the game.
“I think I communicate well on the floor, and I can read who’s on the floor and where everyone’s supposed to be and direct people,” Daniello said. “If I say to do something, or I say, next time do this, I try to be positive about it.”
A freshman and a guard/forward on the team Zari Charles said, “Dakota really leads the team well, and whenever we are down, she’s always there to go and get a bucket. So she is really someone who is helpful and looks out for all of us.”
Daniello got noticed by the coaches in Florida Southern College during her freshman year, and as a sophomore, she committed to play on their team in Division 2. Although not looking to play professionally after college, Daniello said she wants to win the Division championship for Florida Southern and make the most out of her basketball career in college.
