Despite a tightly contested three quarters, Aragon was ultimately able to pull through even with their leading scorer playing hurt in the team’s 67-55 victory against the visiting Capuchino. All but one of Aragon’s ten active players scored, led by forward Maya Collins’s team-high 17 points. Collins also pulled down a game-high seven rebounds in the process.
After closing the third quarter with a 44-41 lead, the Lady Dons (7-8 overall, 3-2 PAL-South) opened the quarter with a three-point play by Collins curling off a high, off-ball screen. Later, Aragon forward Briana Reynolds, who only played limited minutes due to an injury, was able to come through in the clutch, connecting from downtown for three of her seven fourth quarter points and giving her team a nine point lead just minutes into the start of the quarter.
Nonetheless, on the ensuing plays, the Lady Mustangs (6-10 overall, 0-5 PAL-South) were able to close the gap on several catch-and-shoot opportunities off the extra pass and a handful of drive-and-kick looks from guard Jordan Ramirez to forward Sarah Quintana, who scored a game-high 18 points.
Then, with 2:03 remaining in the game, Capuchino forward Valentina Krysko was able to come up with the steal and the fastbreak basket to reduce the home team’s lead to 59-54. Yet, carefully executed offense from the Lady Dons en route to their 23-point fourth quarter and eight for ten shooting from the stripe prevented the visiting team from completing the comeback, giving Capuchino their fifth consecutive loss in league play.
“The first three quarters, we were winning the turnover battle. Down the stretch, probably the last five minutes of the fourth quarter was when we began throwing the ball away,” said Capuchino head coach Michael Dozier. “We started to make progress. But then, I guess fatigue settled in and we didn’t box out so they got a couple more rebounds than they were supposed to. We weren’t denying the ball on the ball reversal. We just beat ourselves. We had a defensive breakdown and so we weren’t really being smart on offense either. We kept throwing the ball away. Turnovers are key all the time. And that’s what we lost to tonight.”
Both teams retook the floor following the break trading baskets with the Lady Mustangs able to go up 36-35 with 3:29 remaining in the third after a three-point play from Quintana on the break. However, Capuchino was unable to extend their lead further after being charged with two offensive fouls on their next two possessions.
Team fouls also dug the Lady Mustangs into a deep hole, with the team being marred by 11 fouls in the first half and 13 in the second. Consequently, Aragon was able to take advantage of their opportunities from the line, shooting at a 78 percent. Aragon guard Kathryn Cheong was able to find her way to the line for 10 attempts alone towards her season-high 13 points.
“We were trying to emphasize reversing the ball to find the open player and the girls also made their free throws tonight, which really made a difference towards the end of the game when [Capuchino] was fouling us,” said Aragon head coach Annette Gennaro.
After going 2-2 in their four-game home-stand, Aragon will travel to Hillsdale on Friday for the first of their five-game road-trip. Meanwhile, Capuchino will look for its first league win against cross-town rival, Mills, this Friday.
*As published on prep2prep.com
