Union’s Croyle Embraces Defensive Role for Damsels’ Basketball Team

RIMERSBURG, Pa. (EYT/D9) — Keira Croyle steps into a passing lane and deflects the basketball. She scoops it up, dribbles and lays the ball in for an easy two points.

That’s Croyle’s calling card for the Union girls basketball team — stifling defense. The senior has an instinct that is hard to coach.

(Photo by Dave Cyphert/ProPoint Media Photography)

She also has a passion for it.

“You love that. You love that because not a lot of people like defense because they don’t get as much recognition as the people who score,” said Union girls basketball coach Ally Kepple. “She knows and loves that part of the game.”

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Croyle, a 5-foot-9 guard/forward, gets her thrills from flustering the opposition.

It also leads to some easy points for Croyle and her Damsel teammates.

“My defense has been one the strongest things this year and last,” Croyle said. “I can get fast breaks for layups. We practice defense a lot. We work really, really hard on it. We run a 2-3 (zone) and I’m at the top, so I get a lot of tips. I’m really good at defending passes.”

She’s also been good at adding another scoring punch for Union alongside senior Dominika Logue.

Croyle is averaging 13.3 points per game for the 3-1 Damsels. She missed the first game of the season due to illness.

“One of the best things about coaching is watching them grow,” Kepple said. “She’s done that. She has helped us out tremendously, offensively and defensively, especially this year so far. She’s a tough player and she does really well for us.”

Croyle can also play anywhere.

Last year she was predominantly a guard, but moved into the post this season.

While some players would balk at making such a move, Croyle welcomed it.

“I think I’m stronger on the inside,” Croyle said. “Last year, I was a guard. This year I got moved down to forward, so I’ve been getting some points underneath the hoop. I mean, it’s a pretty big change, but I had some experience doing it at the end of last year. Me and Dominika would switch around from guard to forward. Then this year, with Maggie Minick being out, I moved inside.”

Minick was lost for the season with a knee injury.

Croyle has also battled some injuries.

She’s had a persistent problem with shin splints throughout her career — most likely the result of the pounding her legs take from a season of volleyball that transitions right into a basketball campaign.

Croyle has tried to mitigate the pain, which has included a special wrap she wears around her shins each game.

“It helps,” Croyle said. “We’ve been trying other things, too, like stretches and things like that to help them. It gets pretty excruciating sometimes.”

Croyle, though, is undaunted.

She had a standout volleyball season for Union, but that year ended in bitter disappointment when the Damsels missed out on a playoff berth with an untimely losing skid.

Many of the volleyball players are also on the basketball team and Croyle said they are determined to use success this winter on the court as a salve for that volleyball pain.

“Our No. 1 goal is to go all the way,” Croyle said. “We’re working hard, even during our breaks from school, every single day. We just want to bring that championship back this year.”

Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.