By Christopher Godfrey
With 10 seconds to play in St. Michael Academy’s 62-40 win over Francis Lewis, Sabrina Jeridore ended one of the best games of her young career in fitting fashion.
As one of her teammates milled around in the backcourt content with accepting a 24-point defeat, Jeridore took charge. The 6-foot-3, Iona-bound senior center charged down the court and demanded the ball. She proceeded to barrel down the lane toward five St. Mike’s defenders and score of the glass as time expired .
The message to her team was clear: Don’t quit, not even in the closing seconds.
“The whole team was excited to play them, but I really wanted this game,” Jeridore said.
Jeridore’s inspired play kept a shorthanded Francis Lewis (13-1) squad in striking distance throughout against the Post’s No. 1 team in New York City Sunday at Christ the King High School in Middle Village. The charismatic and animated post player dominated the paint from start to finish, recording a triple double: 13 points, 13 rebounds and 10 blocks against a St. Michael’s frontline that includes South Carolina commit Brittany Webb.
Francis Lewis only trailed by five at the half, but was done in by a three-minute stretch to start the third quarter when St. Mike’s (13-1) went on a 9-0 run fueled by the sensational guard play of the Post’s preseason city Player of the Year, Jennifer O’Neill.
O’Neill was clearly the difference in the game. She constantly frustrated the Francis Lewis backcourt with a variety of step back jumpers and dribble penetration moves.
Maybe even more frustrating was the fact that the Patriots watched O’Neill shred them while their own star guard could only watch helplessly. Kelly Robinson, committed to UMass, is regarded as one of the best guards in New York and is lauded for her defensive prowess.
She has been sidelined since Dec. 29 with a torn ACL. One could only imagine that she would have fared better with the assignment of O’Neill. Francis Lewis Coach Steve Tsai admitted his team is still adjusting to playing without its floor leader. Along with struggling to defend O’Neill, his guards made numerous mistakes against St. Michael, mistakes that may not have been made with Robinson’s calming influence on the floor.
Francis Lewis was left with Jeridore, who despite playing like a warrior, was not enough to keep the game close as her team faded down the stretch. Tsai holds no regret about the decision to meet up with the No. 11-ranked team in the nation, according to USA Today.
“We haven’t played a game like that this season,” Tsai said. “I’m really happy we played it. I would rather play a game like this now than later in the season.”
He was similarly pleased with the performance of his best remaining player.
“I am so proud of her,” Tsai said. “She was exhausted by the end of the game, but she continued to play hard and she never quit. I can’t say enough how proud I am of her.”
That statement from Tsai ended with a big hug between coach and player. It was a symbol of the unity Francis Lewis played with all game and a telling sign that Jeridore will be the team’s unquestioned leader for the remainder of the season — one that could culminate inside Madison Square Garden in the PSAL Class AA championship game.
