Sacred Heart Academy’s Dani Jeffries passes in the first half of their Friday game against Penn Wood at home. (Pete Bannan – MediaNews Group)
By Matt Smith
Sacred Heart Academy senior power forward Keara McCaffrey had high praise for sophomore guard Dani Jeffries following Friday afternoon’s nonleague game against Penn Wood.
“Dani has really stepped up,” McCaffrey said. “I mean, we’ve seen it last year as a freshman, what she could do. She was putting up 16 points as a freshman in the district championship. And this year, she has definitely grown a lot and has been great.”
Jeffries smiled modestly when told of McCaffrey’s remarks. McCaffrey, a DeSales commit, will go down as one of the best post players to ever play for longtime Sacred Heart coach Zach Shuler.
For Jeffries, last year’s experience as a starter on a Lions team that captured its sixth consecutive District 1 title – and seventh in eight years – has been instrumental in her development. Her excellent performance in the District 1 Class A final against Delco Christian left a big impression on McCaffrey, and she’s continued to deliver this season. Jeffries has evolved into a multifaceted guard capable of attacking the rim, knocking down 3-pointers, facilitating the offense, and providing strong defense – assets that were on full display Friday.
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