Breens effective teaming up or a team apart

FAIRFIELD - If there was a solstice on the 2020 calendar, Fairfield sisters Danielle and Delaney Breen played together. If there was an equinox, the twin Trojans played apart. Of the fall sports offered, Delaney was on the swim team and Danielle was out for volleyball. In their freshmen year in the spring sports of soccer and track, a different Breen on each team. On the pitch, Delaney Breen took two shots and scored on one. In the long jump pit, no one flew further than Danielle Breen. Their participation in those sports as sophomores was eliminated by the coronavirus.

Summer and winter brings the junior twins together with softball and basketball.

'I really like softball, but basketball has a bigger place for me,” Danielle Breen said.

Breens' freshmen year in softball, Fairfield had a 22-19 record as Delaney Breen batted .215 and Danielle Breen .192. Each had five RBI. Sophomore year saw a Southeast Conference title and a trip to state with a 24-2 record. Danielle Breen batted .370 and Delaney was at .200 with 19 RBI to Danielle's 16.

While they excel at multiple sports, basketball is both Breens' favorite and there is yet another contrast. Bob Bradfield has 40 years as the softball coach but Pat Pacha is the third basketball coach in three years. Brian Witzenburg took Fairfield to state in 2018, but left after a 14-7 record in 2019 and Jeff Miller went 14-9 as last year's coach, finishing second in the Southeast Conference with record of 7-3.

'We have had completely different styles from each coach with our junior class,” Delaney Breen said. 'It helps that our class has played together for so long. We know what we want, what we are good at. That is playing hard defense.”

The Trojans lost SEC Player of the Year Shaylin Drish and starter Destiney Gridley to graduation. There are six other juniors beside the Breens: Anna Dunlap, Mallory Lyon, Brynley Allison, Hannah Simpson, Hannah Bergren, Kelsey Pacha. Olivia Jones and Anna Westphal are the only seniors.

'The twins are both hard workers, along with the rest of the team,” Coach Pacha said.

Delaney Breen averaged 7.7 points a game (11th in the league), was fourth in the SEC in total assists, fourth in blocks, fifth in steals, third in 3-pointers made while being fifth in attempts to place third in 3-point percentage. In steals, Delaney Breen was eighth and Danielle Breen 12th, each at almost two per game.

Danielle Breen averaged 9.0 points per game (seventh in SEC), was third in field goal percentage, her free throws made were third, attempts and percentage was fourth. She was fifth in total offensive rebounds.

'Danielle is a good defensive player and a hard worker who wants to win every possession,” Pacha said. 'She finds a way to score in multiple ways.”

'Delaney has good hands defensively, causes disruption with deflections and steals. She is an outside shooter,”

They know where each other are on the court instinctively and feed off that, especially on the defensive end of the court.

There may be a hereditary reason for that. Mother Tina played as did their father. Anyone who knows basketball in Fairfield knows Breens' dad, Dan.

He started girls basketball at Fairfield after graduating from Parsons College. Known for stingy, aggressive defense, Fairfield won 13 straight conference championships, appeared in six state tournaments (Sweet 16) and reached the final four in five straight seasons (1982-1986) and recorded 94 straight home wins. Iowa girls played six-on-six then and was not divided into classes. Almost 500 schools competed for a single title.

In 1983, Fairfield defeated Des Moines Hoover, 60-50. That win gave Breen a career record of 336-60.

'I would say my sister and I are complete opposites,” said Delaney Breen, who likes the 3-pointer. 'She's real muscular in her legs and I'm real muscular in the upper body. I have more stamina, she's better at quick bursts.”

Although they are 'complete opposites” that coaching background comes through because they both like set plays, both like hard practices and love defense.

'I like playing with Danielle because we both have an energy that allows us to know where each other are and that helps us set things up. That part is kind of nice.”

Danielle Breen says she is not much of a shooter but it is something she has worked on. Breens got to the gym every chance allowed during the spring quarantine.

'I think I'm better at taking the ball to the basket and finishing. I have worked on my shooting. Taking it to the basket and finishing, I'm trying to get to the free-throw line. If that's not working, just concentrate on playing solid defense.”

'Delaney has more of a craft for shooting. Defensively we're about the same, but I'm a little more aggressive. My sister is very crafty and she always knows what to do. She's very smart.”

'Delaney runs some point, but at the end, I want Danielle,” Pacha said. 'Delaney's better on the wing. She's got a favorite spot out there.”

Breens thrive on competition. They have similar games with different strengths. They compete with each other and feed off each other, improving their play as well as their teammates.

There is plenty of time for thoughts of college. The Breens are unsure about those plans except for the fact that they will not attend the same university.

'I would love to play basketball, if that's an option, if that works out, sure,” Delaney Breen said. 'I don't know about Danielle. If I find a college in California, then she'll go to Florida.”