By Dylan Butler
She knows her moves, she knows her tendencies. Teammates on the New York Gazelles AAU team during the summer, Flagg and Murphy went head-to-head with the final seconds winding down in the consolation game of the Monsignor King tournament Monday afternoon.Flagg stole the ball from Murphy on an attempted drive to the basket with six seconds left in the fourth quarter and then sank a key free throw to lead the Cardozo girls' basketball team to a 53-51 win over Midwood at St. Thomas Aquinas in Brooklyn.It was sweet justice for Flagg, who finished with a game-high 16 points but she turned the ball over on a strong drive through the lane despite drawing contact with 15.7 seconds left in the fourth quarter.”I was just hoping to get us something to get back in the game,” Flagg said. “If I don't get a steal or we can't stop the ball, they have a chance to win the game.”It was a third place game with no trophies at stake. But Cardozo coach Larry Carradine knew the game meant so much more.Any non-league game between two PSAL teams is important, but with both teams surely making the playoffs this year, this third place game had major postseason implications.”Now we have to be seeded above this team. That was our main motivation coming into this game,” Carradine said. “This is a major, major win for us.”It wasn't lost on Midwood coach Artie LaGreca either.”That was mentioned in our locker room,” LaGreca said. “I would guess it might have seeding implications. It's two PSAL teams, that's what they look for on the schedule.”Midwood (14-6) had its chances to take over the game, going on a 12-0 run in the second quarter and led 39-29 on a 9-0 spurt late in the third quarter.But each time, the undersized and undermanned Cardozo (16-4) found the answer. The Judges scored the final 11 points of the third quarter to tie the game at 28 and then roared back to take a 50-49 lead on Lekasha Harris' second 3-pointer of the second half with 2:08 left in the fourth quarter.Harris finished with 13 points and Nicky Oyesilie added 11 for a Cardozo team that used one of two available substitutes and was playing its third straight game in a row.”I think we were team oriented,” Flagg said. “Even though we were down we were still cheering for each other and we did it twice.”Midwood had a chance to tie or win the game in the final second. But after Flagg made her second free throw with 1.4 seconds left, the Hornets tossed the ball towards midcourt before calling timeout with 0.7 seconds remaining.The Hornets inbound pass, though, was tipped by Shakeena Halsey before Murphy's wild heave went wide of the basket.Murphy and Maureen Marzano finished with 12 points apiece and Kamaya Miller added 11 points for the Hornets.Francis Lewis 76, Frederick Douglass Academy 39. Vionca Murray scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Francis Lewis (17-1) in a non-league game Monday at Baruch College.Bishop Kearney 46, Cardozo 38. Adenike Oyesile led Cardozo with 18 points. Anna Buzzetta had 12 for Kearney (7-5) on Sunday.Van Buren 65, Brandeis 58. Avery Sibbley led Van Buren (9-5) with 24 points and Olivia DeSouza and Nickia Witherspoon scored 12 each in the Martin Luther King Tournament at Lab Museum.Richmond Hill 70, Frank Sinatra 34. Helen Marte had 34 points for Richmond Hill (12-1, 11-0 Queens B-II) on Friday.Bryant 52, RFK 34. Elisha Raiford led Bryant (8-4, 7-4 Queens B-II) with 12 rebounds on Friday.Long Island City 55, Queens High School of Teaching 35. Bianca Jones scored 27 points and grabbed 22 rebounds for LIC (7-5, 7-2 Queens B-II) on Friday.Madison 64, Mary Louis 53. Frances Lyons had 29 points and 18 rebounds, Tiny Adams added 18 points and 10 assists and Michelle Silsbe had 13 points for Madison (14-4) in the Monsignor King tournament Sunday.Christ the King 63, Red Bank Catholic 37. Tina Charles had 21 points, 10 blocks and 9 rebounds and Duke-bound Carrem Gay added 15 points, including a third quarter slam dunk, to lift No. 1 Christ the King (13-0) in the Battle of the Boardwalk in Asbury Park, N.J. Sunday.Cardozo 43, Mary Louis 40. Flagg led the way for Cardozo with a game-high 17 points. Casey Shevlin had 12 points and Patricia Zillas added 10 points for Mary Louis (5-8) Saturday in the Monsignor King tournament.Christ the King 73, Molloy 46. Charles had 24 points and 13 rebounds, Gay had 11 points and Sky Lindsay added 10 points for the Royals Saturday night.St. Francis Prep 49, Bishop Loughlin 44. Gina Catherall had 22 points and Maiza Mock added 10 points and 8 rebounds for St. Francis Prep (4-6, 1-2) last Thursday.Reach Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
