It's not too often that a local girls' basketball team has a 6-foot-2 center. Even more rare is that the length is bolstered by athleticism, toughness, and an all-around skill set that makes her far from a one-dimensional inside threat.
Sherburne-Earlville junior, Lilly Berg, has cut an imposing presence on the court since she moved to the varsity level as a freshman. Berg has made steady progress the last two seasons, but her leap forward as a junior has put her among the best big girls in her league, and perhaps all of Section III.
"Every chance she gets, she's playing basketball," said S-E head varsity coach Karen Mulligan. "She has put a lot of work in during the offseason to improve her game."
Aside from her varsity basketball responsibilities, Berg is a member of elite offseason travel teams, the Utica City Rocks and the Syracuse Nets. She has matched up against a varying array of talent, and has taken those experiences into this season and ran with them.
Last week, Berg was named the Most Valuable Player of the Unadilla Valley Tournament, and most assuredly, the decision to select Berg was a no-brainer. In the opening game against Hancock, Berg had 22 points by halftime, and finished with 27 leaving in the third quarter with a minor injury. She followed that up with a 26-point night in a blowout victory over the host Storm to clinch the title victory.
We had already named Berg as our first Matthews Ford and Planet Preowned Athlete of the Week, but for good measure, earlier this week, Berg validated our choice with 24 points, 19 rebounds, and six blocked shots in a close win over Hamilton.
"She's finishing plays inside this year, and she's also stepping out and hitting outside shots," Mulligan said. "It's (outside shooting) another facet to her game, and she has a good handle for her size. She can post up, and she can attack from the high post."
If there was any knock on Berg, she sometimes struggled to get good shots off against a physically strong defender. That despite her typical size advantage. Berg has had no such trouble this year, and has added a varied mix of inside post moves to complement her improved strength.
"She has done a lot of lifting, and getting stronger has been a big help to her," Mulligan said.
Berg continues to excel, as does fellow junior standout, Savannah Irwin, despite being the two obvious scoring threats for a Marauders team that doesn't have a lot of varsity experience beyond those veterans. While Berg is usually manning a spot on the inside, Irwin is providing an outside threat – along with varsity newcomer Lexi Elderkin. It's almost a pick-your-poison dilemma for opponents, and Berg is clearly flourishing.
Berg is averaging 18.3 points per game, nearly four better than last year, and is averaging well over 10 rebounds and three blocked shots per game. The Marauders have averaged at least 15 wins a season over the past eight years, and are again on pace to match that total this year.
"She has speed, good hands, she sees the floor and makes good passes to her teammates," Mulligan said of Berg. "You don't see that much from big girls on this level."
No, you don't