SENIOR TOUR: Stuart Country Day School basketball player Angela Gallagher heads up the court in recent action. Last Friday, senior guard Gallagher scored four points in her home finale as Stuart fell 44-22 to the Country Day School of the Sacred Heart (Pa.), On Sunday, seventh-seeded Stuart lost 58-23 to No. 2 Wardlaw Hartridge in the first round of the state Prep B tournament to drop to 0-15. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

It was Senior Day for the Stuart Country Day basketball team and Angela Gallagher was determined to fight to the last minute of her home finale.

Even though Stuart trailed Country Day School of the Sacred Heart (Pa.) by 25 points in the waning moments of the contest last Friday, there was Gallagher sticking her nose into a scramble for a loose ball.

The senior guard had to leave the game as the trainer checked her head to make sure that she was OK. Moments later, Gallagher was back in the fray, firing up a shot in the last minute as Stuart went on to a 44-22 loss.

Afterward, Gallagher, together with classmates Parris Branker and Jen Dias, posed for photos in front of posters made especially for the Senior Day festivities.

“I thought it so nice; the team was really great,” said Gallagher, who scored four points on the day as Stuart dropped to 0-14.

“Even though we have a really small team, we have become really close. They made us these really nice posters and they made us T-shirts. They were really nice. Of course Senior Day is bittersweet as everyone says.”

In the early going on Friday, the Tartans made it a close game as they went on a 6-0 run to battle back from an early 7-0 deficit.

“That was pretty exciting; in a lot of games we haven’t been very close,” said Gallagher. “That was a time where we were pretty close. It was fun, we had a lot of fans here cheering for us.”

Stuart, though, misfired on offense the rest of the way, as has been the case so often this season.

“We have a lot of trouble running the offense and making shots,” acknowledged Gallagher.

“We have a pretty young team, we are still learning and I am still learning a lot. I have never played guard before.”

The Tartans have had no trouble showing fight, customarily playing hard to the final whistle.

“We always fight throughout the whole time,” maintained Gallagher. “Even at Lawrenceville, where we literally got pummeled but everybody was fighting to the last second and still scoring until the last second.”

Despite the steady diet of losing, the Stuart players haven’t gotten down on themselves.

“I think our team has really good character because a lot of people would get really upset,” said Gallagher.

“I think our team has been really good about that. We have a lot of fun. If we didn’t have fun, we would be depressed the whole time.”

Stuart head coach Tony Bowman has had fun seeing the development of his trio of seniors.

“I think the seniors played hard today; the three girls have contributed a lot over the last three years,” said Bowman.

“There aren’t as many accolades as in the past. But they are leading the girls that we have now, which is good. The freshmen and the sophomores are learning from them right now. They have a work ethic on and off the court.”

Bowman points to Gallagher as one of the team’s most diligent workers.

“Angela is always playing hard; she gives us 100 percent,” said Bowman.

“She works hard; the only thing we want her to do more is score. She had a couple of nice shots today; she played well for us.”

The Tartans have had a hard time making their shots this winter. “Offensively as a team, we just haven’t been able to put the ball in the basket,” said Bowman, noting that his team has been held below 30 points in many games this season.

“The plays work and we just can’t put it in. The kids try hard. We are working on everything in practice. We just haven’t been able to implement it in games yet.”

Bowman hopes his players have learned some lessons in perseverance as they battled through a difficult season.

“You have always got to play to win, even when things look dim,” said Bowman, whose team ended the season by falling to Wardlaw Hartridge 58-23 last Sunday in the first round of the state Prep B tournament.

“You have to look at every game you are in as one you can win. I think sometimes we don’t always believe in ourselves or buy into the system. When you buy into the system, you can put yourself in a competitive position.”

Gallagher, for her part, has gained some self-belief from being in a leadership position.

“Since there are fewer people in basketball than in other sports, you have to take responsibility for your actions more and take responsibility for what everyone else is doing on the court,” said Gallagher.

“So as a senior, you tell the freshmen what to do. We have to guide them as the seniors before us did. It has been a really good learning experience for them and us.”