SOUTHSIDE – The Class 6A girls basketball second round playoff match up revealed two teams very familiar with one another, yet found both teams in very unfamiliar positions.
For Ribault, the Lady Trojans were the defending 6A state champions, and two time defending FHSAA state champions. As district champions, their second round playoff games are usually played at the friendly confines of Ribault High School off Winton Drive.
However, this year Ribault was on the road in the second round as district runners up facing the Lady Crusaders at Bishop Kenny.
Kenny had missed the playoffs the last three years, and their last visit in 2014 saw a first round exit. This year, the Lady Crusaders won a district title and defeated Orange Park in the first round of the playoffs.
If Bishop Kenny was to advance into the next round of the playoffs, they would have to go through defending champion Ribault. And early on, the Lady Trojans seemed determined to not allow that to happen.
Bishop Kenny and Ribault 2nd round playoff girls basketball top off now! pic.twitter.com/aS0fLn7soX
— Duval Sports ™️ (@DuvalSports) February 21, 2018
At the start of the game, Ribault took advantage of their height and athleticism.
Lindsey Reid and Shania Edgecombe established themselves inside with offensive rebounds and second chance points. Their effort gave Ribault an early lead in the contest.
The Trojans also harassed Bishop Kenny on defense, and the primary focus early on was Cara McCarthy. McCarthy is Kenny’s best ball handler and Ribault’s Head Coach Dorian Stevens knew that. She dialed up pressure early on to frustrate not only McCarthy, but the other Crusaders.
“Traditionally Ribault is known for traps, pressing, and things like that and I’m sure that’s what they prepared for, so we figured we would try them in a man to man defense and let our girls just gut it out one on one defensively it would rattle them, and it worked early on,” Stevens stated.
Their pressure forced McCarthy to get the ball out of her hands and find the open player. Fortunately for Kenny they would be successful in doing so and began to knock down shots.
Rose Dolmovich hit two three pointers in the first quarter and Lindsay Miller added another and all of a sudden Bishop Kenny turned a four point deficit into a seven point first period lead 15-8.
In the second, both teams turned up the defensive pressure making for stagnate offensively play.
“We pride ourselves on defense, we stress a few things daily and that’s our ability to defend,” said BK Head Coach Charlsea Clark.
The two players that exemplified this strategy was Janie Citrano and Lindsay Miller.
Citrano was very active on the defensive end, contesting shots, rotating to help teammates, and clogging passing lanes. Miller knocked down another three pointer before the half, (she finished with 9 points in the game) giving Kenny a 20-15 lead.
The second half saw Ribault come out very confident. Reid (8 points) scored the first points of the third period and added a big shot in the fourth.
A three pointer and a free throw by Avian Bryant put Ribault within one point in the fourth 25-24. Edgecombe ( 7 points) gave Ribault their first lead since midway through the first period in the fourth on a strong move to the basket 26-25.
However Kenny’s main post player Amuk Tong (5 points) would respond with a nice post move of her own while adding a free throw to regain the lead for the Crusaders 27-26.
The two biggest shots in the game would seal the victory for Bishop Kenny. Anna Bradley hit a three pointer with 2:07 to play putting Kenny up 30-26.
After Ribault’s Kendra Williams pulled them to within two points 30-28, it would be Dolmovich who hit a free throw to give Bishop Kenny a three point lead and the win.
#20 Amuk Tong gets a 3 point play “count the basket” and his the. Free throw for Kenny 25-18 end of 3rd! pic.twitter.com/8sszfLndb7
— Duval Sports ™️ (@DuvalSports) February 21, 2018
