Neumann Goretti’s Reginna Baker elevating into one of the area’s top girls’ basketball players
The freshman guard, who was named to the All-PCL first team this season, has been offered a scholarship from Temple and Delaware. She'll play up an age group with the Philly Belles this summer.
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Neumann Goretti freshman guard Reginna Baker had pregame jitters this past January before her first game in the Philadelphia Catholic League.
Her backcourt teammates Carryn “Clutch” Easley and Amya Scott, both juniors, reassured Baker she was ready.
They were right.
Baker dropped 20 points, three assists, and three steals in the league opener against West Catholic. She set the tone early and has elevated into one of the top girls’ basketball players in the area.
“It was a little nerve wracking coming in and starting, especially for Coach [Andrea] Peterson because she taught us a lot of things and she’s really aggressive, but I had a lot of help from Amya and Clutch. They really push me,” Baker said. “My first [PCL] game against West Catholic, I was really nervous and they were like, ‘Shake it off. You’re all cool.’ They just gave me that confidence boost.”
Baker grew up playing with Scott and Easley, which made the transition to high school easier.
She led Neumann in scoring (16.7 points) and rebounding (5.7 rebounds) to become the first freshman All-PCL first teamer since Lola Ibarrondo was a first team All-Blue Division honoree at Conwell-Egan in 2020-21.
However, Baker wasn’t quite ready for the Catholic League defense heading into this season.
“My defense coming in was really bad,” she said. “In my opinion, my defense got better everyday at practice.”
Baker knows Peterson’s credentials, which includes a standout playing career at St. John’s and Drexel, with Division I coaching experience. She embraced being challenged by Peterson.
“She’s a really good coach,” Baker said. “She really knows what she’s talking about.”
Baker is playing up an age group with the Philadelphia Belles 16U team this summer, alongside West Catholic sophomores Ciani Scott and Jasmine Butler. The two saw what it was like to play against the talented 5-foot-7 guard this season.
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This summer Baker will play more at the point, sharing the backcourt with Cheltenham sophomore Maya Simmons and a few other area standouts.
“I definitely have the ball in my hands more because I usually have Clutch and Mya, and they’re better ball handlers than me,” Baker said. “Now I kind of have to take over a little bit.”
The Saints’ talented backcourt drew the attention of college coaches this winter, and it will likely be a similar story with the Belles.
Baker received a scholarship offer from Delaware last August. Temple second-year coach Diane Richardson offered her a scholarship in late January.
“I’ve talked to her, she’s really funny, a great personality,” Baker said about Richardson.
The focus for Baker this summer will continue to be on defense and her leadership. She’s proud of the strides she’s made towards becoming more vocal on the floor.
“I never used to talk coming into the season,” Baker said. “Now if you see me out there, I’m talking on the bench and off the bench.”
This story was produced as part of a partnership between The Inquirer and City of Basketball Love, a nonprofit news organization that covers high school and college basketball in the Philadelphia area while also helping mentor the next generation of sportswriters. This collaboration will help boost coverage of the city’s vibrant amateur basketball scene, from the high school ranks up through the Big 5 and beyond.