If there’s one factor everybody ought to have discovered over the previous decade in the case of women basketball regionally, it’s to by no means rely out Cathedral.
The Panthers misplaced 9 key contributors from final yr’s squad, however proved that they nonetheless belong with the highest groups within the Commonwealth on Monday. Senior guard Keyona Raines turned in her newest spotlight efficiency, ending with a double double of 19 factors and 13 rebounds as Cathedral (11-8) captured the Jim Grady championship with a convincing 52-34 victory over beforehand undefeated Woburn (19-1) on the IAABO Board 27 Comcast Match.
“I feel our tempo messes up different folks’s tempo,” Cathedral coach Clinton Lassiter stated. “I feel this huge court docket performed into our favor to a level too, as a result of we wish to run. So, this court docket is so huge…and we made pictures right now. Pictures didn’t go in for (Woburn) early, so I feel that helped. And, I feel that them being undefeated places extra strain on them. …We have been enjoying with home cash. We’re a Division 3 group. We’ve misplaced video games; they haven’t misplaced a recreation. So for us, it was like let’s present the world what we’re able to doing.”
The Panthers entered their Presidents’ Day matchup with eight losses on the season and hungry to topple a juggernaut trying to full an ideal common season. Raines took the sport over early, making performs everywhere in the court docket. The senior registered 10 factors within the first quarter, as Cathedral opened up a 17-9 lead.
“I’m only a fast individual,” Raines stated. “I wish to create for my teammates. I do know I can get by (opponents). That’s what I used to be making an attempt to do.”
The Panthers merely ramped up the tempo, embarking on a 10-2 run to start the second stanza. In beautiful style, Cathedral was in command over one of many state’s top-ranked applications with a 27-11 lead. The Panthers took a 29-14 benefit into intermission. By that time, Raines had out-scored Woburn’s total roster with 17 factors alone.
“We simply knew that we have been bored with the losses,” Raines stated. “We needed to maintain coming in ready. Lock it in in practices, in order that after we heat up and truly focus, attempt laborious it will probably translate into the video games.”
The Tanners tried to stage a rally within the third quarter, as sophomore guard Haley Adamowich sank two three-pointers to chop it to a 31-20 recreation.
However that was as shut as Woburn bought. Cathedral closed the body with authority, as sophomore Mariela Deya buried a last-second triple to present the Panthers a 44-27 lead.
Deya and sophomore guard Anixia Bizcaino added seven factors apiece to assist gas Cathedral’s upset win. Adamowich completed with 11 factors to steer Woburn.
Through the recreation’s ceremonies, Raines and Deya have been every named to the All-Match group for his or her performances at Emmanuel School. Raines added 5 steals and 4 assists within the win.
“Our report is likely to be deceptive for some folks,” Lassiter stated. “However for me, it (means) we’re battle-tested. We’ve been operating and studying each single recreation. For us, it’s good to see issues choosing up now, when all of it issues.”
