Tuesday,
March 11, 2014
By Rich Barton
NJS.com Staff Writer
|
|
Kelli Tellian hit a baseline jumper to get Ridgefield Park as close as four points in the fourth quarter, but Weequahic responded and held on for a 47-36 win in the North 2, Group 2 state sectional final on Monday night. |
RIDGEFIELD PARK – Ridgefield Park came into this season with high expectations and with good reason. Having lost only two key players from last year's team that reached both the Bergen County and state sectional semifinals, the Lady Scarlets were hoping this season would be a return to championship glory. Monday night presented the Scarlets with the exact scenario that they wanted with a rowdy crowd and packed house in their home gymnasium and with a section title at stake.
Unfortunately for the home team, Weequahic was looking to make some history of its own and took control right from the opening tap.
Weequahic, the No. 2 seed, scored the game's first five points and never trailed. Top-seeded Ridgefield Park cut a double-digit lead down to four with less than five minutes to play but never got any closer. A banked 3-pointer was the backbreaking shot as Weequahic won its first-ever section title by handing the Scarlets a 47-36 defeat in the North 2, Group 2 section final at Ridgefield Park High School.
“We wanted to make history and we did. I can't even believe this is happening,” said Weequahic's Stephanie Davis. “We were definitely nervous when they got our lead to four points. I had to show my senior leadership and make things happen. I'm so proud that we could the first champions ever at Weequahic.”
Both teams showed some nerves that led to a slow start. Ridgefield Park freshman Kelli Tellian came off the bench to score four straight points, which cut the Lady Indians' lead to one. It was still a one-possession game in the second quarter when a quick 9-2 spurt opened up a sizable lead. Ciara Pugsley hit a 3-pointer then converted a conventional 3-point play before Davis capped the spurt with a 3-pointer as Weequahic had the Scarlets doubled up at halftime, 22-11.
|
Stephanie Davis had 14 points for Weequahic, which on the first state section title in the history of the girls basketball program. |
The lead was nine heading into the fourth quarter when Ashley Castillo helped the Scarlets get to within striking distance. She made two straight steals, both of which led to baskets. On the first one, she finished it herself before Tellian hit a six-foot jumper which cut the lead to 36-32 with 4:39 to play and forced Weequahic head coach Amiri Barka Jr. to call timeout.
“I told the girls that we played all year to be in this position and we can't start panicking now,” said Barka Jr. “Ridgefield Park is a tough team and they is a reason they had a home game in the (section) final. We knew they were going to make a run at some point but we still had the lead so there was nothing to worry about just yet. We had to hold off that run and get back on track.”
Directly out of the timeout, Davis broke the full-court press and hit Kemaya Powell for a layup. Ridgefield Park had a layup that could have cut the lead back down to four but missed. The Indians responded with Pugsley's high-arching 3 from the wing that looked like it might go over the backboard. It hit high off the top-right corner of the glass and dropped through to make it a 41-32.
“That shot ended up being the one that broke our backs,” said Ridgefield Park head coach Nicole Pucciarelli. “We felt confident when we got their lead to four. You chip away, chip away, and chip away to get into a position where you could take the lead. When they hit that 3-pointer, now we had to start fouling and you're just trying to keep the game going as long as you can.”
Pugsley netted a game-high 15 points and Davis added 14 points, five assists, and three steals for Weequahic (23-3). The Indians advance to play North 1 Group 2 champ Newton, a 41-36 winner over High Point, in the Group 2 semifinals at Bloomfield High School tomorrow at 5:00 P.M.
|
RP's Katherine Haines finished with 9 points, 13 rebounds and a game-high seven blocked shots. |
Ridgefield Park (26-4) had a rough shooting performance from the floor, hitting just 12 of 42 shots (28.6%). Sacred Heart-bound Katherine Haines was well below her scoring average with just nine points, but finished with 13 rebounds and a game-high seven blocks. Tellian's 11 points both led the Scarlets and were a career high for the freshman guard.
When assessing the season, it was difficult for Pucciarelli to come to terms that what otherwise was a dream season that came to a disappointing finish.
“It's nice to win a league title, but we were shooting to get a ring and there are a lot of hurt players and a lot of tears in that locker room right now,” added Pucciarelli. “We kept fighting until the end, we just shot about as poorly as we could and Weequahic made the plays in some big spots. It's hard to have a 26-4 record and be disappointed. But our goal was to get to the county semis and to win a ring for winning the section. It was a great season and we have a lot to be proud of, but we're all hurting inside right now because we know when we look back that we'll be missing something.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM THIS GAME.
TO BUY A COLLECTOR'S PRINT
OF THIS STORY, PLEASE VISIT 4FeetGrafix.com. |