Staff Report
Paul VI High has one of the best girls basketball programs in the state. The Eagles are led by Orlando Hidalgo, a top-notch hoops coach whose daughter, Hannah, is one of the best players in the entire NCAA these days.
There are some quality players who have followed in her footsteps, including guard Rachel Thatcher, who was one of just two seniors on a squad last winter that went 26-2, won the South Jersey Invitational Basketball Tournament, the Camden County Tournament and the Non-Public A South championship. The Eagles were finally stopped in a tough loss against St. John Vianney in the state semifinals.
Thatcher had a tremendous senior season, setting career highs in nearly every offensive category and establishing herself as one of the best defenders in South Jersey. She averaged nearly 13 points per game while adding 191 rebounds, 141 assists and 66 steals. For her career, Thatcher scored nearly 1,000 points, finishing with 820 — which is a pretty good feat considering how many scoring options the Eagles had the last four years. She also finished with nearly 500 rebounds and more than 300 assists, and averaged nearly two steals per game for her entire four-year career.
Yes, the stats will be hard for Hidalgo to replace next winter, but even more difficult will be finding somebody with Thatcher’s toughness and will to win. Her determination and effort is what set her apart from the average player.
— Staff Writer Dave O’Sullivan
