Matt Adler excited for 1st season as Joliet Catholic Academy head girls basketball coach

MORRIS – Matt Adler has been an assistant coach in the Joliet Catholic Academy girls basketball program for 10 years.

This year, he gets his shot to run the program as its head coach. Adler takes over for Jim O’Brien – and it’s a natural move as Adler was O’Brien’s varsity assistant last season.

“I’m excited for it,” Adler said about his new job. “It’s nice that I have been in the program for a while, and I already know all the returning players. I know their strengths and weaknesses, so we are ahead of where another new coach would be.

“It has been fun to coach these girls already, so I think it’s going to be a good and fun year for us.”

The Angels fielded a very young team last year and took their lumps, finishing with a 7-26 record. Adler hopes the experience gained last season will provide better results in the coming winter.

This season, several players, including Abby Dulinsky, Emma Birsa, and Breanna Zafra, that got a wealth of playing time return to give Adler a solid foundation in his first season.

During the Morris Ladies Shootout, JCA went 2-1 in pool play, losing to Providence Catholic and beating Minooka and Rosary. In bracket play, the Angels lost to Joliet Central, beat Kankakee and beat Providence Catholic to take fifth place in the 12-team event.

“We’ve been having a good summer,” Adler said. “We have a few freshmen coming in that look promising, and the summer is the time to take a look and see what we have. We’re trying to integrate the younger players with the older players so they can get to know each other and build that trust on the court.

“Having a player like Abby coming back for her junior year is great. She’s getting stronger and I think we will see her take that next step. Emma and Bree have a lot of experience as well. We have a lot of young talent and experienced talent. It’s just a matter of getting it to fit together. So far, they are doing a great job.”