By Dylan Butler
Oh, those darn Catholic league teams.
Without them on their schedule, the Francis Lewis girls’ basketball team would be enjoying an undefeated season. Instead, the Patriots are 18-3, losing to St. Francis Prep earlier in the season, The Mary Louis Academy Sunday and 64-60 to Archbishop Molloy Monday in the consolation game of the Monsignor King tournament at St. Thomas Aquinas in Brooklyn.
“There’s a different mentality in Catholic league teams,” said Francis Lewis coach Mike Eisenberg. “In general they play a lot tougher and, other than a few games in the PSAL, you don’t find that toughness factor.”
Despite being bigger and more athletic than the Stanners, it was Molloy that showed the grit, especially late to hold off a charging Francis Lewis.
The Patriots rallied from a 20-point deficit late in the third quarter to get within three on Maria Miaoulis’ 14-foot jumper with 19.8 seconds left but freshman Rosalyn Gold-Onwude sank a clutch free throw to clinch the game for a Molloy team exclusively comprised of freshmen and sophomores.
“We knew we’d pull it out,” said Molloy head coach Marty Towey. “It came down to rebounding and foul shooting at the end. That’s what did it.”
Francis Lewis was the defending Monsignor King tournament champion and was determined to get back in the championship game. But just a day after being upset by Mary Louis, the Patriots instead were in the third-place game and lacked some enthusiasm out of the gate.
Molloy (11-6) erased an early 21-12 deficit and behind the sharp shooting of sophomore Keri Anne Jeter, who scored a game-high 22 points including six three-pointers, went on a 34-3 run to take a 46-26 lead with 2:59 left in the third quarter.
“I was in a slump for a while. It was bad but in the last three games I came out of it,” Jeter said. “I helped my team out in other ways when I wasn’t shooting, but I’m glad I’m back.”
With their shots not falling, the Patriots wisely drove to the hole and scored 10 of their 12 third quarter points from the free throw line, including a pair from junior point guard Teresa Rozza to cut Molloy’s lead to 10, 46-36, at the end of the third quarter. For the game, Francis Lewis made 20 of 24 foul shots.
But Jeter quelled any fears of yet another fourth-quarter Molloy breakdown with back-to-back three pointers to extend the Stanners’ lead to 52-38.
“We just decided we’re not going to do this again,” said Gold-Onwude, who had 16 points and six assists. “They say we’re going through growing pains, but it’s time for the growing pains to stop and take them and win.”
Sophomore Jennifer Kelleher had 10 points and seven rebounds and freshman Jessica McEntee added five points and a game-high 14 rebounds and was named to the all-tournament team.
Rozza and Miaoulis scored 17 points apiece for Lewis, but Rozza scored 14 in the second half while Miaoulis, who was also named to the all-tournament team, had 11 points in the first half. Jasmin Lawrence also had 10 points for the Patriots who have one more date with a Catholic League team Feb. 6 when they host Mary Louis.
“I told them what we take out of this tournament is the last four minutes. We played hard and with purpose,” Eisenberg said. “I don’t like losing but today was almost a positive because we played hard.”
Mary Louis takes crown
The slogan for the Mary Louis girls’ basketball team has changed from “We’re here” to “We’re back.” And there’s no better player who embodies that motto than Ann Marie Molina.
The Hilltoppers’ senior forward missed her sophomore and junior seasons with a torn anterior cruciate ligament on both knees, but is finally back and made her presence known in a big way Monday, scoring 13 points and grabbing 11 rebounds off the bench in Mary Louis’ 52-49 overtime win over Bishop Kearney in the championship game of the Monsignor King tournament.
If it wasn’t for Molina, Mary Louis (9-9) might not have even made overtime as she sunk a pair of critical free throws with 35 seconds left in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 43.
“I didn’t even notice the time,” said Molina, who at 5-foot-8 is the tallest player on the Hilltoppers’ roster. “I just thought I have to make my shots.”
Molina wasn’t a factor the first time these two teams played, a 44-33 opening day loss at Kearney, playing just seven minutes in her first game back from her second knee surgery.
Mary Louis was also slow out of the gate, opening the season 2-8, but the Hilltoppers have since rebounded and have chalked up some big wins, including Sunday’s shocking 53-39 victory over Francis Lewis.
In the championship game, Mary Louis could have been living on its laurels of a day earlier but instead, in front of a hostile pro-Kearney crowd, the Hilltoppers avenged their earlier defeat.
“It was still a little revenge from the first game of the season,” said senior Donna Lohrey, who had 17 points and was named tournament MVP. “I’m sure they were surprised we beat Francis Lewis and coming in they thought they were going to beat us pretty good.”
Junior Caitlin Boyle had 17 points and six rebounds, Katelyn Lawler had 13 points and five steals, Maryann Welsh added eight points and 11 boards and Caitlin O’Callaghn chipped in five points and 12 rebounds for Bishop Kearney (10-6), which plays at Mary Louis Monday at 6 p.m.
“No matter what I told them, this is a learning experience,” said Mary Louis head coach Joe Lewinger. “We have a very tough two weeks ahead of us. We have three league games and then we’re at Francis Lewis. It’s just a start and that’s what they realize. They’ve really matured a lot.”
Newtown 40, Richmond Hill 30. Monica Pahl had 16 points and Lisa Wang added eight points and seven steals for Newtown (12-5) in a non-league game. Nia Harrison paced Richmond Hill with 26 points.
Bayside 66, Long Island City 40. Leyla Sak had 18 points and Codeasha Pearson added 12 points for Bayside (14-5, 9-0 Queens III-B), which broke the game open with a 19-8 third quarter.
Townsend Harris 60, Cardozo 27. Shanay Freeman had 16 points and Kristina Casper added 15 points for Townsend Harris (13-3, 8-3 Queens A) which led 33-15 at the half. Cherisse Bethea had 10 points and seven rebounds for Cardozo (7-4).
John Adams 66, Springfield Gardens 33. Francesca Romano led the Spartans (15-2, 10-0 Queens I-B) with 20 points. Springfield Gardens dropped to 7-3 in Queens I-B.
Van Buren 55, American Studies 44. Jeneva Kelly and Cherise Soto netted 18 points apiece and Teresa George added 12 points and 15 boards for Van Buren (14-5, 8-2 Queens III-B).
Grover Cleveland 58, Forest Hills 38. Shannon Gonzalez had 26 points and Jennifer Barenboim chipped in 15 for the Indians, who improved to 16-2, 10-0 in Queens II-B. Forest Hills dropped to 2-8.
John Bowne 54, Newcomers 40. Chantal Biscette had 18 points and 20 rebounds and Katrina Brown added 12 points and seven assists for Bowne (14-4, 8-1 Queens II-B). Laura Burlacu netted a game-high 26 points for Newcomers (2-7).
Newtown 51, Flushing 30. Pahl had 17 points and Laura Drulyte added 13 points for the Lions while Monet Pledger had 18 points for Flushing (2-8).
RFK 40, Renaissance School 32. Michelle Wallace had 28 points and 15 rebounds and Christina Connolly added seven points for RFK (6-14, 3-7 Queens II-B).
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 143.
