Bonner & Prendergast’s comeback falls short in Lansdale Catholic’s victory
UPPER DARBY >> That Bonner & Prendergast had a shot to win at the end of its Catholic League game with Lansdale Catholic says a few things about the Pandas.
For starters, this team is markedly improved from last season. The Pandas were in a rebuilding year after a deep run in the PIAA Class 3A tournament in 2015.
Secondly, despite the Pandas’ struggles from the second quarter onward, they didn’t let LC just run away with it Tuesday night. Trailing by six points late in the fourth quarter, they kept going.
Ultimately, B&P’s home opener was spoiled as Lansdale Catholic hung on for a 45-44 victory.
“Pretty frustrating,” said senior guard/forward Caroline Manfre, who performed yeoman’s work inside the paint for the Pandas.
Manfre, like many of her teammates, dealt with foul trouble virtually the entire night.
After a juiced-up first quarter which saw the Pandas jump out to an 18-9 advantage, thanks in part to Manfre’s low-post dominance and freshman guard Dakota McCaughan’s two 3-point field goals, things started to unravel.
The Pandas (4-1) were 2-for-12 from the field in the second quarter, enabling the Crusaders to climb back. It was around this time when Lauren Crim, Brady Wassel and Kris Finkelston began to assert their will on the boards as Manfre sat on the bench.
“It definitely set us back and threw us off our games,” said Manfre, who finished with 10 points, eight rebounds and three steals. “It really hurt us getting into foul trouble. Our defense in the second half was definitely a lot better.”
Leading by a point to start the third quarter, Manfre and Nyah Garrison (four points, seven rebounds) scored back to back buckets to take a five-point lead, but the Crusaders answered. Wassel hit a 3-pointer to give LC its largest advantage of the night at six points and the Crusaders ended the third period on a 16-4 run.
Lansdale Catholic extended its lead to eight points in the fourth quarter before the Pandas stormed back. Maeve McCann hit a baseline runner and McCaughan hit a pair of 3-pointers in the quarter. Her final one of the night made it 45-44 with 3.9 seconds to go. Emily Monaghan also made a clutch trey in the waning moments of regulation.
McCaughan is clearly a player to watch. She grew up going to camps in Chester, so she packs a lot of talent in her 5-foot-3 frame. Her ability to dribble and thread the needle on with her passing are her strengths. The rest of her game is raw, but the upside is clear. Tuesday night she drained four 3-pointers for 12 points and made a nifty no-look pass to McCann for one of her team-high six assists.
“I’m smaller, so I have to find a way to get a shot off,” McCaughan said. “I shoot it from all the way here (long distance) because I know usually nobody is going to defend me out here.”
Ultimately, the Pandas were plagued by foul trouble, which might have cost them their fifth straight win to start the season.
“We had to play in zone because of the fouls and I think that slowed us down a little,” McCaughan said.
McCann added seven points, two assists and a steal for the Pandas, who will travel to Georgia next week to participate in the St. Pius (Gas.) Holiday Tournament.
Lauren Crim led the way for the Crusaders with 15 points and seven rebounds. Laura Vetter (10 points) and Wassel (12) also scored in double figures.
In another Catholic League game:
Archbishop Carroll 50, St. Hubert 26 >> Bella Sorrentino paced the Patriots with 16 points.
