By Joseph Staszewski
The Stanners got contributions from almost everyone who played and were able to gut out a 60-55 win over St. Anthony’s (L.I.) in the CHSAA Class AA girls’ basketball quarterfinals at St. John Villa Wednesday night.
Archbishop Molloy’s role players gave their team exactly the type of boost it needed with star guard Amani Tatum missing the majority of the game
The James Mason-bound Tatum spent most of the second quarter on the bench with foul trouble. She had two fouls early in the frame, three in the middle of the third and picked up her fourth with seconds left in the period.
“Everyone steps up when Amani and I are not playing well,” said Columbia-bound forward Carolyn Gallagher, who scored 19 points. “That’s what’s really good about our team. That’s why we win.”
Nyasha Irizarry, who scored 12 points, hit one of the biggest shots of the game, a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 2:50 left to play that put Molloy up 48-45, a lead it would never relinquish. The Stanners also got a boost off the bench from Daniela Arias (eight points) and from Aryn McClure, who made two huge defensive plays in the final 1:30. Tatum finished with 14 points. There were multiple heroes in this game for Molloy (21-7).
“I think everyone on our team when they have a chance to come in the game they always contribute” Irizarry said. “Everyone is always ready to do whatever they have to do to help the team win.”
Gallagher was the catalyst for the Stanners with A 12-0 fourth quarter run. She tallied nine points during the spurt, including a layup with 54 seconds left in the contest to put her team up 56-45.
St. Anthony’s, which lost to Molloy in last year’s state quarterfinals, did provide a scare late. Rebecca Musgrove (19 points) connected on a 3-pointer from the top of the key to pull the Friars (22-6) within 57-55 with 30 seconds left. Irizarry made 1-of-2 free throws before Musgrove had another trey rattle out. McClure sunk two free throws to ice things.
“Once she hit that three we were like ‘ A oh.’” Gallagher said. “We just needed to secure the ball and not get lazy on our passes.”
Moore Catholic 63, Christ the King 52: Taylor Butigian scored 19 points and Sierra Calhoun had 17 for Christ the King (19-9) in the CHSAA Class AA state quarterfinals. Moore Catholic (23-5) had four players in double figures led by Gabriella Rubin’s 19 points. Sister Victoria Rubin had 13, Taylor Robertson 12 and Tori Crea 11 to help end the Royals season.
“They shot the ball really well,” CK coach Bob Mackey said of Moore.
Calhoun scored at the third-quarter buzzer to put CK down just 40-39. Moore hit three straight 3-pointers, including two by Victoria Rubin to take a 53-44 lead with 4:13 left in the game. The Royals drew as close as four with 2:18 remaining on a two Calhoun free throws. CK forward Kollyns Scarbrough missed most of the game with a badly sprained ankle.
“It’s tough to replace a kid of that caliber,” Mackey said of Scarbrough, the team’s second leading scorer.
Reach reporter Joseph Staszewski at jstaszewski@cnglocal.com. Follow him on twitter @cng_staszewski.
