Annabelle Day left North Tonawanda to play alongside her older sister. After two years at Cardinal O’Hara, she’s returning to play with her younger sister.
Day broke out on the varsity scene two years ago as an eighth-grader at North Tonawanda, helping the Lumberjacks win a share of the Niagara Frontier League title and post 18 wins, while recording 14.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. But older sister, Brittany, transferred to Cardinal O’Hara ahead of her junior year, with Annabelle following suit.
But Brittany graduated in June, now pursuing a track and field career at Niagara University. And, with younger sister Lilly wrapping up her second season with the Lumberjacks, Annabelle wanted to team up with her for the next two years, while returning to her roots.
In what was a family decision that had been pondered since mid-June, Annabelle officially decided to return to NT ahead of her junior season. Annabelle made her decision at the end of July, shortly after her travel season with the XGen Elite AAU operated by former Canisius University player Darren Fenn ended.
Over two seasons with O’Hara, Annabelle averaged 14.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.9 steals in 49 games. She enters her junior year with offers from Canisius, Le Moyne, Manhattan, Niagara, St. Bonaventure and Wagner.
“It’s very special to me because I really enjoyed playing back in eighth grade,” Annabelle said. “Obviously, we made the decision as a family. I’m really thankful for the time at O’Hara and all the stuff I learned from Coach Nick (O’Neal). … I’m going to miss playing against the top competition, but there’s definitely going to be a lot of fun playing with NT again.”
Annabelle has already played with the Lumberjacks twice during the Niagara PAL Summer League season held at Niagara Falls High School. The first time came in the league’s season opener against Lewiston-Porter on June 25 when NT was short-handed and then returned last Tuesday against Niagara Wheatfield.
But in the two years since last being at NT, Annabelle became one of the top guards in Western New York and helped O’Hara record 37 total wins and back-to-back postseason trips to the final four of the Catholic state tournament. Plus, with Annabelle’s help, the Hawks won the Monsignor Martin title, their 10th crown in the last 11 years.
In her two seasons with the Hawks, Annabelle watched her numbers increase from 11.9 points to 16 points per game along with an increase from 2.1 to 3.6 steals per game. Annabelle was also recognized as a two-time All-Monsignor Martin first team selection.
But along with reuniting with XGen Elite teammates in Maddie Caron and Jakayla Brown, the opportunity to play for NT gives Annabelle the opportunity to play with Lilly. Lilly finished her eighth-grade season with a larger role for the Lumberjacks at point guard, averaging 19 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.9 steals and 2.8 assists per game.
The two sisters have spent time training together at home and in the gym, with a competition to see who is the better shooter. But the opportunity to play alongside each other, similar to what Annabelle experienced with Brittany, is what she is looking forward to the most in her return, as the Lumberjacks look to advance past their Section VI Class AA semifinal loss to Starpoint.
“(Lilly) was saying, ‘We’re going to finally be able to put our two skills together and be able to play and see if we can go farther than last year,’” Annabelle said. “See how far we can get together. But I’m definitely excited.”
Even before officially returning to NT, head coach Mike Mills was aware of Annabelle’s scoring ability. And while he is not entirely sure what Annabelle’s role will be offensively, he knows her veteran leadership will pay off for the Lumberjacks.
Entering the season, NT enters the season with no seniors but 10 additional juniors, three sophomores and the freshman in Lilly. Mills hopes Day’s presence on the defensive end of the floor will carry over into the season.
“She just does not take a play off,” Mills said. “She’s always going to be there pushing, pushing the limit, pushing the player that she’s guarding into mistakes. And she’s got good size, but she plays a whole lot bigger than she has.”
With Annabelle in the lineup, O’Hara stretched the floor offensively. Through 49 games with the Hawks, Annabelle shot 38% from the floor and 33% from beyond the arc.
Her 88-made 3-pointers this season were a team-high and were the most by all players in the Monsignor Martin by 37. But while she won’t be in his lineup this upcoming season, O’Neal still expects Annabelle to do well moving forward.
“Her work ethic is unmatched,” O’Hara head coach Nick O’Neal said. “She will go out and she will work every day, if she has to. And, to her credit, she goes out there when other kids go look to do something else. She’s in the gym. She wants to shoot. ”