Jacksonville Fl- It was a tough contest between two of the toughest teams in Northeast Florida. #1 Bishop Kenny (24-4) hosted #4 Ribault (16-6) for the right to advance to the Elite 8. The game would be everything that was anticipated, with hustle from both teams on both ends of the floor. A confident Ribault would jump out early.
The Lady Trojans used their length and aggressiveness to fluster Bishop Kenny on defense, and get to the free throw line on the offensive end. Kayla Massey’s two free throws were the first of the game, when she drove to the basket drawing a foul. Destiny Donaldson (7 points) scored two of her 5 first quarter points on a post up down low using her height advantage for the score. A 3-pointer by Massey helped lift Ribault to a 9-6 first quarter lead.
Kayla Massey 3-pointer! Ribault leads Bishop Kenny 9-6, 3:43 1st Girls Basketball Class 4A @FHSAA playoffs 2nd round! pic.twitter.com/KCoOMaqLE5
— Duval Sports (@DuvalSports) February 20, 2024
Bishop Kenny would keep it close thanks to the hot shooting of Reese Mayer (11 points) and hard nosed play by Clare Coyyle who kept her team in the game with offensive rebounds creating second chance shots. Her defense helped force Ribault into untimely turnovers, and on offense she showcased her skill with a euro-step layup helping to close the gap on the Lady Trojans. Still, it was Ribault and junior Terryanna Medlock (7points) who lead 19-17 going into halftime.
Euro-step by Clare Coyle @clarecoyyle Bushop Kenny closing the Ribault gap heading into halftime! pic.twitter.com/DfqdwGd74C
— Duval Sports (@DuvalSports) February 20, 2024
One of the major reasons Ribault had the halftime lead was junior Alexzondria Gross. Gross hit a nasty base-line floater in the second quarter as the Lady Trojans kept Bishop Kenny at bay. Gross would also knock down a 3-pointer in the third quarter scoring 5 points in the game. At the beginning of the third, the Trojans led Bishop Kenny 20-17. That would be the last lead they’d see for the rest of the night.
Alexandria Gross with a nasty cross and take baseline to the basket! Ribault leads Bishop Kenny 19-17 Halftime! pic.twitter.com/l97q0cBZ4L
— Duval Sports (@DuvalSports) February 20, 2024
Bishop Kenny would go on a 10-1 run captained by their team captain Clare Coyyle. She refused to let her team lose the contest, running the floor in transition, causing turnovers on defense, and finishing plays at the rim using her sheer size. Coyle, Abby Baker, and Sydney Roundtree (4 points) were able to use their size advantage to body the slimmer Ribault squad. Missed shots turned into transition points for Kenny as their physicality seemed to wear Ribault down.
And 1!!! Coyle!!! She's doing it all tonight! @clarecoyyle Bishop Kenny has the lead 27-20 at the 4:45 mark! Timeout Ribault! Kenny on a 10-1 run! Wow pic.twitter.com/TVZFg3MBxS
— Duval Sports (@DuvalSports) February 20, 2024
The rim was kind to Kenny in the second half as their shots started to fall. A big shot by Riley Talbert was a dagger to Ribault, as several phases of the game started to come together for the home team. Ribault couldn’t match Kenny shot for shot, and couldn’t out rebound the Crusaders. Clare Coyyle ‘s 21 points and 18 rebounds were a testament to the tone she set from the start.
Riley Talbert hits a big 3-pointer! Bishop Kenny has found its groove in the second half! Leading 39-26 in the 4th vs Ribault @DuvalSports @riley_talbert pic.twitter.com/h10DGQHTiU
— Andre' Ellis(@andreellis55) February 20, 2024
Said after the game “Our coach says it a lot survive or die and I think this game was just really about surviving for us; we were all really fighting in the second half”.-Clare Coyyle
That fight is what has head coach Will Mayer and Kenny moving on to the regional final where they will face #2 Rutherford( 26-1), who defeated Bolles tonight 51-39. As for Ribault they end their season in the regional semifinals, but have several returning starters that will have them back in title contention in 2024-2025. Kenny is looking for their long awaited girls basketball title and is one more win away from heading back to the Final 4 for the sixth straight year.
