Carangi’s 29 points lift North Penn over Perkiomen Valley
TOWAMENCIN >> In the first half, Perkiomen Valley’s defense kept the Vikings close, battling North Penn to a one-point difference at the break.
But then came the third quarter.
The Knights started finding openings, Jess Huber got hot from three-point range, and Sam Carangi — scoring inside and outside — was on her way to a 29-point afternoon.
“Carangi just ate us up,” Vikings coach John Strawoet said of the senior guard. “She just ate us up. She’s not going to Villanova for no reason. She obviously can play the game.”
Carangi led the Knights to a resounding 57-39 victory on Day Two of the Coaches vs. Cancer Tip-Off Tournament at North Penn, in what was has become an annual rivalry.
“The past two years we’ve lost to them in this tournament so we came in wanting to make a statement,” Carangi said.
In what was also a rematch of last year’s second-round state playoff game, won by the Knights, North Penn used to a 9-0 run — two threes by Huber sandwiched around one by Carangi — to take control in the third.
“At halftime, coach (Maggie deMarteleire) talked to us about how we were all over (PV) on defense in the first quarter and that really helped us and our offense,” Carangi said. “And then in the second quarter we kind of stopped doing that.
“(In the second half), I think our defense really turned into offensive points.”
A steal and layup by Carangi helped provide a 12-point cushion for the Knights at the end of the third. She hit five threes in the contest, including one shortly after halftime that helped start NP’s push.
“We’re always looking for the person that’s on,” Carangi said. “Last night, Jess was on, so we were all looking for her. Today, that happened to be me, and my teammates really found me.”
Carangi also sank all four of her fourth-quarter free throws to put the game away. Huber added 10 points in the victory and a basket by Jess McKenzie stretched the lead to 48-34 early in the fourth, and the Knights led by double digits the rest of the way.
“When we do get hot, that definitely opens the game up. Sam and Jess do a great job of finding each other,” deMarteleire said. “And that made a huge difference. And then our team defense was really outstanding in the second half.
“For the most part, we did a better job of boxing out — you’re not always gonna keep them off the boards, but I thought we did a better job of keeping them off the boards in the second half. We recognized when they were trying to get the ball into (Meg Jonassen), our weak-side help was outstanding.”
Jonassen scored eight points in the first half, helping PV get within 25-24 at the break, but she was held to just four the rest of the way. Her 12 points led the visitors.
Perk Valley (0-2) had leads of 5-4 and 7-6 in the opening moments, but then, serving as a preview of things to come, a three by Carangi just before the first-quarter buzzed lifted the Knights’ lead to 16-9.
The Vikings surged ahead 29-28 early in the third on a three by Hanan Richmond (11 points), but the trio of threes at the other end by Huber and Carangi helped send the Knights on their way.
“We made a second-quarter run (on Friday against Central Bucks West) but for some reason we can’t seem to maintain our momentum,” Strawoet said. “So that’s something we’re gonna have to work on here coming down the stretch.”
Top Photo: North Penn’s Jess Huber gets rid of the ball before Perkiomen Valley pounces on her forcing a jump ball during their game on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016. (Bob Raines/Digital First Media)
