Counts sisters thrive in second season with Bulldogs

DULUTH — After closing out their three-year run at Providence Academy together in storybook fashion by winning the 2022 Class AA state championship, the Counts sisters, Grace and Maria, figured their days as teammates dating all the way back to the AAU and youth levels had come to an end.

Or at least so they thought.

Maria, who graduated a year before Grace in the spring of 2022, found herself looking for a fresh start to her collegiate basketball career after spending her freshman season at the University of Minnesota.

Upon entering the transfer portal, Maria was extended an offer by Minnesota Duluth, where Grace was already planning to attend as a member of the incoming four-player 2023 freshman class.

The Counts sisters, as fate would have it, were reunited once more.
“Initially I was a little apprehensive,” Grace, now a sophomore at UMD, admitted. “I was like, ‘Oh, I don’t know if I want four more years or three more years playing with my sister.’

Her initial uncertainty was quickly replaced by gratitude as time wore on.
“It’s been awesome,” said Grace, reflecting on the experience. “I have someone who gets exactly what I’m going through…(She’s) always giving me advice, always giving me feedback — critical, maybe sometimes unwanted, but very helpful. So I’m just really grateful…”

Contributed / UMD Athletics

As newcomers to a veteran-laden team coming off an NCAA Division II runner-up finish, playing time was initially hard to come by last season with Grace, a 6-foot-1 forward, being used sparingly off the bench along with the team’s three other freshmen.

Maria, with one season of collegiate basketball already under her belt, had an easier time carving out a niche as a versatile contributor able to play the shooting guard and small forward positions.

Both players, even in the small sample size, never failed to make their presence felt on the court as feisty, vocal competitors.

“We are both pretty intense I would say,” said Maria. “We like to communicate on the floor, which is funny because we’re not very loud people off the court…”

The competitive fire has carried over into this season, though for Maria, she would have to wait months before showcasing it due to a lingering injury. Upon returning, she was eager to assist in any way possible.

“I was excited to be able to help the team again in whatever way that looked like,” she said. …”(My role) changes every year so just playing hard in whatever spaces I need to fill on the court that’s just kind of what I try to do and still try to do so yeah fun to be back.”

Since her return, Maria has made a seismic impact on both ends of the floor as illustrated during UMD’s matchup against Winona State on Jan. 29 where Maria held one of the Warriors' top scorers, Hailey Markworth, to six points while leading the team with 15 and pulling down seven rebounds.

UMD Athletics / Contributed

“I thought it was maybe Maria Counts’ best defensive game that she’s played in her career here,” said Pearson. “I think (Markworth) really struggled scoring against Maria and I was really impressed with that.”

Her defensive ability is one of multiple facets of her game that’s improved, according to Pearson.

“We’re seeing her take on more of a leadership role,” she said. “We’re seeing her have more of a voice. We’re seeing her have a different level of intensity and competitiveness in games, which we really saw against Winona, and that’s fun to see.”

Grace has seen her role expand as well this season, jumping to an average of 13.8 minutes per game from 3.8 last season as one of the first players off the bench in rotations as a back to the basket, post-up player with long-range shooting ability. She’s currently fourth on the team in 3-point field goal percentage (34%).

Like Maria, her value extends beyond her on-court ability.

“She’s getting better with the fundamentals, and on-court things but I think the biggest thing that she brings is that she's a fantastic leader,” said Pearson. “She communicates, she’s positive. You always know what you’re getting with her in terms of she’s always going to mentally be there, work hard and be a great supportive teammate, and so her consistency is really important for our program.”

The Counts sisters will have at least two more seasons together as they look to build towards a similar ending to their high school careers at Providence Academy.

“It’s funny, especially this year I feel more like it feels like high school again because I’m with Grace,” said Maria. “We’re kind of getting to a point where we’re kind of getting into a flow again.”

Their well-rounded skillsets, coupled with their leadership qualities, solidify the Counts sisters as ones to keep an eye on in the years to come as invaluable members of the program.

“They’re just fantastic human beings, so I love having them in our program,” said Pearson.