By The TimesLedger
The Our Lady of the Snows fifth-grade girls’ basketball team saved its best game of the year for the final game of the year. The girls played their hearts out in a beautifully played and tremendously exciting game. The championship game of the annual Corpus Christi post season basketball tournament was all of that and more as the OLS team was edged by St. Joan of Arc of Jackson Heights in the games’ final seconds, 33-31.
The Snows’ squad was facing a tough challenge in a team that was a Diocesan finalist for the 2000-2001 CYO season, in addition to being the defending champions of the Corpus Christi tournament. St. Joan jumped out to an early lead, but two free throws by Tina Khiani and baskets by Nicole Weinman and Adara Simonelli gave OLS a 6-3 lead heading into the second quarter.
St. Joan’s Megan K. was unstoppable in the second quarter, scoring 10 of her game-high 26 points, but the Snows girls answered every challenge. Nicole Kaouris executed a long pass play perfectly and drove to the basket for a layup. Michelle Gasperetti sliced through the St. Joan defense and converted a layup. Adara Simonelli hit for two baskets and Kaitlin Frangella sank a free throw to send the game into halftime tied at 15.
In the third quarter, baskets by Nicole Weinman, Jessica Wrynn and Tina Khiani prevented St. Joan from extending their lead beyond a few points. Tina Khiani sank both free throws to go 4-for-4 from the line in the game and the teams headed to the fourth quarter tied at 25.
St. Joan opened up a 30-27 lead with about 1:20 left in the game, but Adara Simonelli stole an inbounds pass and swished an open 12-footer to cut the lead to two. With about :40 seconds remaining, Nicole Weinman stole the ball and drove to the hoop for a layup that put Snows ahead 31-30. The Snows’ fans went wild as St. Joan's took a timeout. A free throws tied the game at 31 for St. Joan's and with just over :20 left, a fall away shot under tremendous defensive pressure put St. Joan's back on top 33-31. OLS failed to score on their final possession and St. Joan was able to dribble out the final :06 for the win.
Adara Simonelli played one of her finest games of the season to lead OLS with 10 points. Tina Khiani and Nicole Weinman scored six points each. Michelle Gasperetti played aggressively and scored four points. Jessica Wrynn and Nicole Kaouris added two points each. Kaitlin Frangella added one point on her big free throw to end the second quarter. Christine Wrynn’s shots didn’t fall for any points, but as always, Christine’s defense was excellent.
Adara Simonelli, Nicole Kaouris and Nicole Weinman were named to the tournament All-Star team and received all-star shirts as part of the honor.
This Our Lady of the Snows squad of 10-year-old girls enjoyed a tremendous season with a total won-loss record of 17-7, including reaching the CYO Diocesan quarterfinals and their second place finish in the Corpus Christi tournament.
