It wasn’t the end of the season that the Perquimans County High School girls basketball team wanted, but there’s optimism that next year and beyond will be very bright for head coach Aaron Burke and his Pirates team.
The Pirates girls basketball team fell just short of making it to the fourth round of the 1A East NCHSAA tournament on Tuesday, March 5, losing at home to Pamlico County 45-41.
Despite the season-ending loss, this was another banner season for Perquimans, who finished 24-5 and a perfect 10-0 in Four Rivers Conference play, earning the Pirates the regular-season championship. The Pirates fell in the conference tournament, by one point to Gates County, coming just short of sweeping both the conference regular season and tournament titles.
For Burke, the second half of the game on March 5 will stick with him until his team hits the court next season.
“We didn’t shoot the ball well, we missed some layups and free throws, but we have to learn from it and move on,” he said.
What made this team special from the others Burke has coached? It was their work ethic and the fact everyone got along and played together, Burke said. He said he definitely saw the team grow as a unit as the season progressed.
Burke is expecting another great season next year. This year’s team featured only one senior, so nearly every player from this year’s squad will be back next season.
“I always say to take one game at a time and improve on the things we don’t do as well as we go along,” Burke said.
And it’s not just next year that has Burke optimistic about the future. There are also a number of girls coming up from middle school who are expected to take the hardwood for the Pirates.
“That’s a plus for us being so young,” he said. “Next year I will be heavy with seniors. ... I feel like we are in a well-balanced place for the next few years.”
Now in his seventh season as girls basketball coach, Burke has had the luxury of being able to build a program that fits his coaching style. One thing that he really preaches is that his team stay active in the offseason, whether it is through running track, attending camps, or pursuing other basketball-related training.
“Sometimes getting into the gym and working on the things that we need to improve on, things like ball handling, shooting, and other similar things,” he said.
The main thing that’s important to putting together a successful program, Burke said, is getting the girls to believe in what he is trying to teach them — about life as well as basketball.
This was the third straight season the Pirates girls basketball team made it to the third round of the state playoffs but no further. Returning to the playoffs and not only getting over the hump into the fourth round but also putting together a deeper will depend on how much his squad wants it, Burke said.
Burke said the team’s offseason work will tell a lot about where it ends up next season.
“There is a lot of potential here and there has been growth,” he said. “Your improvement will show if you put in the work.”
There’s a lot of truth in the old saying about there always being next year. Burke is already focused on next year and beyond.
“It didn’t happen the way we wanted it to this year, but we have next year to fix it,” he said.
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