West Girls Basketball Overcomes Midseason Coaching Change to Reach Playoffs

Pocono Mountain West girls basketball team rallies together to make district tournament after rough start under new head coach.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Pocono Mountain West girls basketball team faced a midseason coaching change and a rough start, but the players rallied together under new head coach Danielle Palazzi to win six of their final seven games and clinch a spot in the district playoffs. Despite the adversity, the team's belief in each other and strong finish propelled them to the postseason.

Why it matters

The West girls basketball team's ability to overcome a midseason coaching change and turn their season around demonstrates the power of perseverance and teamwork. Their story provides an inspiring example of how a group can come together and achieve success despite facing significant challenges.

The details

When Danielle Palazzi took over as head coach midway through the season, the team was struggling and on the outside of the district playoff picture. Palazzi focused on getting the team back to fundamentals and playing together as a unit. After a rough start under the new coach, the Panthers went on a six-game winning streak to finish the regular season 10-12 and clinch a spot in the conference and district tournaments.

  • Palazzi took over as head coach over winter break.
  • The team won only one of their first six games under the new coach.
  • The Panthers then went on a six-game winning streak to finish the regular season.
  • Pocono Mountain West clinched a spot in the conference and district tournaments.

The players

Danielle Palazzi

The new head coach who took over the Pocono Mountain West girls basketball team midway through the season.

Emma Campusano

The senior guard who was named the All-Area Player of the Year for girls basketball.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I think it was kind of about getting them back to the little things, like getting on time to practice and making sure we're ready to go when school is over and it's time to be in the gym. Also drilling our fundamental stuff and being able to scrimmage at the end of practice to really work on playing together as a team.”

— Danielle Palazzi, Head Coach (yahoo.com)

“We just kept pushing each other and staying positive no matter what. Because it was a hard season. A lot of people missed games with injuries or other reasons and we just pushed and stayed together through it all, encouraging each other and just being positive.”

— Emma Campusano, Senior Guard (yahoo.com)

What’s next

Pocono Mountain West faces a tough task in the District 11 6A quarterfinals as the Panthers will face the top-seeded Easton Red Rovers, who are 3-0 against Monroe teams this season.

The takeaway

The Pocono Mountain West girls basketball team's ability to rally together and turn their season around after a midseason coaching change is a testament to the power of perseverance and teamwork. Their inspiring story shows that with belief in each other and a strong finish, a team can overcome significant challenges and achieve success.