On March 15, 2025, Cherry Hill West students wearing white packed the student section area of Jersey Mike’s Arena at Rutgers University to watch their Lady Lions clinch their first state championship title in girls’ basketball. The 34-19 victory would cap off a historic season for West, finishing their year 25-4, and finishing with a trophy the girls’ basketball program has waited for their chance to hoist for decades.
The Lions came in prepared against a Chatham Cougars squad with serious depth and offensive firepower. Chatham fired on all cylinders to end the first quarter with a 6-4 lead, but from then on, West put on the clamps and strengthened their defense. The momentum clicked for the Lions, going 16-6 against the Cougars in the second quarter to go up at halftime 20-12.
“We knew we had to get up on them,” sophomore star Kirsten Gibson stated, as reported by the Courier Post. “When we started getting up on defense, it led to steals. Then, we shut them down for the rest of the game.”
Gibson took over in Jersey Mike’s Arena, adding in two steals and a block, as well as a game-high 16 points. She would play all 32 minutes of the game, alongside seniors Addison Petti and Molly Bovell.
A fiery first-half finish by the Lions did not go without a scare. Senior Danielle Short would go down with an ankle injury, sitting on the end of the bench. Junior Lilly Legato would take her spot in the lineup until the West student section began erupting in cheers as Short returned later in the third quarter. Short’s return seemed to help push the Lions to further glory, motivating them, as Gibson claimed, “Danielle getting back in the game just shows how much resilience she has and how much of a fighter she is.”
A major piece of this historic victory for West was the efforts of the seniors. Julia Lewis, Danielle Short, Molly Bovell, and Addison Petti would combine for 18 points, one less than the entire Chatham roster put up altogether (19).
“This started four years ago with the senior group,” Coach Dan Butler commented, as reported by the Courier Post. “We knew we had something special with Julia Lewis, Molly Bovell, Addy Petti, and Danielle Short. They are multi-sport athletes, all four of them. We knew we had basketball talent, such awesome athletes, and even better people. They turned the program around.”
To pave the road to the state tournament, West won over Moorestown 50-43 to win the sectional championship for South Jersey, a game played in front of a rowdy, packed crowd supporting the Lions. Before shipping off to Rutgers, they would play the Central Jersey champions in Neptune at Deptford, winning 52-36.