DiCave’s Fords have to scrap to beat Ridley
RIDLEY TWP. >> The Haverford High girls basketball players could tell their Central League game at Ridley Friday night was something special for coach Bridget DiCave.
“She was very excited about it,” senior guard Mollie Reynolds said.
DiCave played for the only Ridley girls basketball team to win a district championship, the 1975-76 squad, which was coached by Linda Hill-MacDonald, who went on to coach at Temple University and the University of Minnesota as well as in the WNBA.
“I was just thinking about how it’s always a tough game playing here,” DiCave said. “They always have a tough, scrappy team.”
Both teams played tough, both were very scrappy, and the visiting Fords (4-2 overall, 3-1 Central League) survived a Ridley comeback in the second half and earned a 45-41 decision.
Ashley Murphy’s 3-point field goal with 59.9 seconds to play capped a five-point Fords run after Haverford had fallen behind by three points a minute earlier. Reynolds (18 points, three steals, three assists, two rebounds), who was 4-for-4 from the foul line in the first half, missed two of three before going 2-for-2 with 36.6 seconds left.
Hailee Mayer (six points, nine rebounds, two steals, one assist) tossed in a 3-pointer for the Green Raiders (3-3, 2-2), but both teams turned the ball over before Reynolds iced the decision with a layup for her last bucket.
“It turned into a game of runs in the second half,” said Reynolds, whose team led by 10 points at halftime, then was outscored in the third period, 12-4.
“We’re happy to have pulled this win out. Our bigs (Molly Lyons, Brianna Blair, Amanda Battista) got some really important rebounds for us.”
Blair led the Fords by claiming nine missed shots, while Lyons chipped in with seven rebounds and Battista grabbed six.
Ridley got a double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds) from Izzy Hamlin, who was 6-for-6 from the foul line.
Reynolds, who recently committed to Catholic University, where she will study nursing in addition to playing basketball, missed three free-throw attempts in the fourth period.
“I never miss (foul) shots like that,” she said, shaking her head. “But it turned out OK each time our team got the rebound.
“We missed the playoffs last year, and we want to make it this year. That’s why every game is so important for us. We know we could have played a lot better in the third period.”
DiCave, who was Bridget Morley when she played for Ridley High, acknowledged that Reynolds will be her team’s leader, and also gave credit to some of her other starters, especially Blair, who didn’t shoot well, but made five steals and had one assist in addition to her nine rebounds.
“She really stepped up,” DiCave said. “I just knew how tough Ridley would be. That’s the way they play every time we play them.”
Elsehwere in the Central League:
Garnet Valley 54, Upper Darby 10 >> The Jaguars held the Royals scoreless until the final quarter. Madison Ireland paced the offense with 12 points. Emily McAteer added 10 points to help Garnet Valley (5-0, 4-0) remain undefeated.
Cierra Brunson scored six points for Upper Darby.
Springfield 51, Strath Haven 17 >> Defense was the difference as the Cougars held the Panthers to eight field goals and single digits in each quarter.
Amanda Hopkins and Belle Mastropietro led the offense with 11 points each for Springfield (3-2, 3-1). Bree Fisher had five points for Strath Haven.
Harriton 45, Penncrest 26 >> An 8-for-40 night from the field doomed the Lions (4-2, 2-2). The Rams took advantage and outscored Penncrest 38-15 in the final three quarters. Sophie Grady of Harriton led all scorers with 22 points.
Katie Russo, Katherine Mullaney and Megan Arndt led Penncrest with five points each.
Radnor 46, Marple Newtown 31 >> Allison Lanzone scored seven of her 14 points in the fourth quarter to help the Raiders pull away.
Kristin Hammil also scored 14 ponts for Radnor, which outscored the Tigers, 15-3 in the fourth quarter.
Halle Robinson had 13 points, four rebounds and three assists for Marple Newtown. Kaely Cristello pitched in with seven rebounds.
In the Catholic League:
Cardinal O’Hara 66, Bishop McDevitt 21 >> Every player scored as the Lions (3-0, 2-0 Catholic League) rolled over the Lancers. O’Hara also committed just one team foul.
Drexel signee Hannah Nihill led the way with 12 points. Emily Helms added nine.
Archbishop Carroll 61, Hallahan 38 >> Bella Sorrentino, Molly Masciantonio and Theresa Kearney combined for 35 points to pace the Patriots. Carroll scored 31 points in the second half to pull away.
Sorrentino led Carroll with 13 points. Masciantonio had 12 and Kearney 10.
In nonleague action:
Christian Academy 31, Chichester 24 >> Lindsay Haseltine helped the Crusaders (5-2) get out to a fast start and never look back. Haseltine led a balanced attack with 12 points.
Lauren Carrafa scored 11 points for the Eagles.
