GIRLS: HOMESTEAD 44, BISHOP LUERS 38
A super quick first quarter certainly went Bishop Luers’ way, even if trailing by a point. It took less than 10 minutes of real time to complete the first frame and the Knights never seemed to be clicking, which means they had to be happy with the game being so close. A Dori Javins three early in the second gave Bishop Luers a 10-8 lead to work with just eight days after the Knights led Homestead for much of their first meeting. The Knights were able to take their time through their possessions for the rest of the quarter and did a good job with knowing how to play with the lead against the favored Spartans. Sydney Graber’s three with 39 seconds left in the half gave Homestead back a 19-17 lead.
The closing couple of minutes of the first half saw Luers abandon their poised offense a little and Homestead was able to thrive in the upbeat style with their on court and bench energy. It led to a second and third quarter spanning 16-0 run with Homestead so comfortable in what they were doing on both ends of the courts and you simply can’t allow that. During that span, Homestead went from down 17-14 to leading 30-17.
The Knights had their chances in the second half, pulling back within two possessions on a couple of occasions but the superior rebounding of the Spartans was a difference maker. Graber led the way with 21 points and 11 rebounds while Ayanna Patterson scored 13. Lydia Reimbold led Bishop Luers with 12 points, nine rebounds and five blocks; Reimbold went scoreless for the middle 16 minutes of the game.
Bounce’s Player of the Game: Sydney Graber, Homestead
GIRLS: SOUTH SIDE 72, NORTHROP 46
Anybody have Northrop opening the game on a 7-0 run on their SAC Holiday Tournament bingo card? Because you’d be a winner. The Bruins had loads of energy and made it work on the glass early to establish themselves and make the Archers fight out of a quick hole. Enter Jaci Jones. If she is feeling it, she can change the game with her attitude and aggression and she did it quickly with some help on the glass from Shay Peterson, who has had a solid and a little underrated tournament as a third post for the Archers.
South Side’s pressure took the game to a 14-9 South Side lead as Northrop struggled in the closing minutes of the first quarter even getting the ball to midc court, let alone much past the timeline. If Northrop passed the ball against the press, South Side had the speed to cut off passes. If Northrop dribbled agains the press, South Side had the hands to divert dribbles and grab steals for easy lay ins. Yet, a foul with 0.5 seconds left in the first on a TiAuna White 25 foot heave allowed her to calmly hit three free throws and give Northrop back a single point lead after one quarter.
After South Side stormed back in the second, Northrop opened the second half on a 5-0 run. It too, like most Bruin momentum, was killed by a Jones triple for the Archers. Jones was just on fire from deep, burying her sixth three midway through the third to get a double digit lead before White answered back on the other side and helped keep Northrop in it, followed by a three from J’Asia Scott to cut the Bruin deficit to four despite the feeling of the game being so much more in South Side’s favor. Aaaaand then, South Side went on one of those patented runs: threes clearing out the inside, tough inside play opening up the inside and there was little Northrop could do down the stretch.
Jaci Jones finishes the game with 41 points (10 made threes) and seven rebounds and now sits three points away from 1,000 for her career at South Side. It also makes Jones the tournament’s all-time leading single game scorer on the girls side, breaking Deja Wimby’s record from 2014. I have seen a lot of great tournament scoring performances and this was one of the most energy filled, smoothest trips to the high scoring list. Olivia Smith added nine points and four steals for the Archers. J’Asia Scott led Northrop with 11 points and TiAuna White scored 10.
Bounce’s Player of the Game: Jaci Jones, South Side
BOYS: CARROLL 53, NORTHROP 32
It took two minutes and twenty seconds to get the first field goal made when Ryan Preston buried a triple for Carroll in front of the Northrop bench. It was a needed and clearly welcomed end to an uncharacteristic slow scoring start. But it didn’t get too much going early, the 21-20 first half score seemed too similar to Friday’s Northrop win over Wayne that was sluggish with neither team being able to find their mark. The first 28 minutes of Northrop’s Thursday win was difficult to watch in big chunks and Friday’s semi final didn’t look much better.
One highlight: Qualen Pettus burying a three at the first half buzzer. It gave the Bruins the lead and was Pettus’ second buzzer beater at halftime in this tournament.
Richie Gross showed up to play in the third quarter and made big plays on both ends of the court, including sneaking a lay in up and under Pettus off of the glass that pushed the Carroll lead to a game high seven points with under a minute to go in the third. The calming and experienced presence of Gross was critical in giving the Chargers that little cushion they love to play with. Carroll led by nine after the third.
Equally important at the rim throughout the game was Sam Strycker. The junior knew he had to step up this afternoon and he made the most of his frame and physicality playing down in the post. Things got a little chippy midway through the fourth with a double technical foul called against Pettus and Ray Vollmer; that and some blood on the court through a timeout certainly slowed down the crazy pace that things started to break down into. Carroll pulled away with a lot of free throws down the stretch after Pettus and TaQuay White fouled out and Northrop coach Rod Chamble was ejected, all in the final three minutes of the game.
Strycker finished with 10 points, eight rebounds and five assists to lead Carroll; Gross added 11 points and Ryan Preston had 10 points.
Bounce’s Player of the Game: Sam Strycker, Carroll
BOYS: SNIDER 65, HOMESTEAD 63
In a rematch of last year’s boys final game, Snider looked to strike quick and get a measure of revenge from a season ago. Isaac Farnsworth knocked down a quick corner triple and Jayshawn Underwood swipped the ball away from Luke Goode to go coast to coast for a lay in and an early 6-2 lead. Early foul trouble for the Spartans with two fouls each on Jake Archbold and Alec Grinsfelder could have gone one of two ways (duh, I know): but when have you ever seen the Spartans fold up against adversity? The Spartans kept fighting, led for a bit and only trailed 19-17 at the quarter break.
The second quarter followed suit, back and forth but highlighted in a lot of ways by the crappy play of Preston Barker off the bench for the Spartans. Barker played a lot like Carroll’s Sam Strycker did just the game before, probably no coincidence in their similar styles and the fact they are AAU teammates with Total Package Elite. Barker rebounded strong, changed shots at the rum and did a lot of intangible things to leave his mark on the game. Homestead pulled ahead by five points near the 90 second mark of the first half on a three by Zak Krueger that hit the front of the rim and rolled all the way over and in. The Spartans led by six at the half after Luke Goode finished the half with an and-one in the closing seconds.
The best thing about a game of runs is that no lead is every safe. Well, that probably isn’t as good for the players and coaches on the floor. But for the rest of us, its a ton of fun to watch. Michael Eley took over in the third, shooting the ball like Jaci Jones took over for him. The junior showed why he is such an elite player in the area, becoming this tournament’s top scoring male in the process. His no conscience shooting was drawing plenty of “wow” looks from the crowd. We had some fun at the end of the third on an Eley chase down block ended the quarter and both teams were sure of their stand: either a clean block or a goaltend. It was a no call at was 50-50 after three.
Krueger’s takeaway and score with 2:45 left in the fourth stretched the Homestead lead to a quarter best five points. But with 1:26 left, Eley drained his second straight triple – this time with Archbold – draped all over him, to give Snider back a lead. Moments later, Eley fouled out trying to stop a Jake Archbold putback; Archbold’s following free throw gave Homestead a 51-50 lead. With 34.1 left, Isaac Farnsworth cut under the basket and drew the foul from Grant Simmons to give Snider a one point lead. Ping pong back? Farnsworth then fouled Krueger, who stepped to the line with 20.7 seconds left and hit two of his own to take a 63-62 lead. The Panthers ran a play out of their final timeout down to Duff, who scored and got the foul called; he hit the free throw and it was all Snider needed for the win.
Eley led all scorers with 31 for the Panthers with seven rebounds while Duff added 16 and Farnsworth scored 11. Kruger had a team high 26 for Homestead and Goode added 15 points.
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