Archbishop Wood leans on defense to edge Germantown Academy

PHILADELPHIA >> Becca Booth had one word to describe the Archbishop Wood defense she and her teammates battled against Sunday night.

Aggressive.

From opening tip to the end of the game, Vikings defenders were all over Germantown Academy, doing all they could to disrupt the Patriots’ usually crisp-flowing offense. Wood mixes size, length and physicality at every spot and defense is point of pride for the program.

GA recovered from a slow start and got back in the game, but Wood’s poise late allowed the Vikings to hold on for a 59-57 win in the nightcap of the Blue Star Invitational at Jefferson University.

“We’re super-competitive as a group and we challenge each other in practice every single day,” Wood junior guard Kaitlyn Orihel said. “I think we’re used to it from always challenging each other so when we come into games, people aren’t always expecting it and it does give us an advantage.”

Sunday’s game was the end of a rather grueling holiday stretch for both teams. Wood went 2-2 out at the Nike Tournament of Champions in Arizona, taking plenty of bumps but gaining plenty of lessons before coming home and picking up a key win over Archbishop Carroll on Friday.

GA, after hosting its annual Make-A-Wish showcase before Christmas, finished runner-up in its bracket of the Naples Holiday Shootout in Florida. The Patriots were also without senior Elle Stauffer on Sunday, with the forward battling a nagging injury.

Wood’s defense and its blistering shooting made for a long first quarter for the Patriots (11-3, 1-0 Inter-Ac). Game MVP Ryanne Allen hit her first two shots, both from long range, as Wood opened 5-of-11 from deep and led 20-7 after a quarter. Just as important, the Vikings (6-4, 2-0 PCL) held GA to a 2-of-13 combined start.

“We were switching between our man and zone, we were trying to switch everything but we got caught up trying to guard our own players, so it’s something we have to work on for the future,” Booth said. “They’re a really aggressive team and they’re all over the ball, so we had to fight it by being aggressive back.”

Orihel spent most of the game guarding GA senior Jaye Haynes while Lindsay Tretter started off with the assignment of covering Patriots guard Maddie Vizza. With Vizza’s shooting and ability to set up teammates a big part of GA’s offense, Tretter did well to deny driving lanes and pointed to her teammates’ help with the task.

“It was a lot of talking to each other and getting each other through screens and handoffs,” Tretter said.

“Definitely, you always want to challenge yourself and having those two as matchups, we rely on our teammates,” Orihel said. “We talk, and we play so well together with our communication, I think that’s what helps us on the defensive end.”

Wood’s shooting cooled after the first quarter and as Booth noted, the Patriots upped their intensity on both ends of the floor. Maddie Burns, who got the start Sunday, battled on the glass and had a couple of solid defensive plays to help GA get back in the game.

With Vizza a major focus for Wood, Haynes and Booth were able to lift some of the playmaking and scoring roles from their teammate. Booth, who had a tough matchup with Wood’s Izzy Larsen, converted a three-point play with 2:33 left in the first half, igniting a 12-4 run to close the period where she and Haynes accounted for every GA point.

“Playing teams like this with that kind of high energy pushes us to play with that same energy in our Inter-Ac games and prepare us for the rest of the season,” Booth said. “I think we always look for each other. Jaye always looks to pass in and if I get double-teamed, I’ll pass out to her because she does a really good job of cutting to the basket, calling my name and I’ll notice she’s open.”

Haynes was able to use Wood’s physical defense to her advantage, taking 10 free throws as part of her team-high 22 point effort. Booth finished with 13 points and took some confidence from the fact that after her hook shot wasn’t working early, she was able to use some other moves and finishes.

GA closed to 31-25 at the half and continued to scrap through the third quarter, with Allen doing all she could to keep her squad in front. Allen, a sophomore, paced Wood with 16 points and knocked down half that number over the final 5:25 of the third frame, adding an assist in that span for good measure.

“As a team, they want to win and they get it, the team comes first,” Wood coach Mike McDonald said. “That’s what their focused on and that comes on the defensive side more than anything.”

A three by Jess Moore, a pair of Vizza free throws and a tough bucket inside by Haynes pulled GA within 55-53 with 1:37 to go. The Vikings struggled at the line, but made it up for it with their defense. Bri Bowen, who guarded Vizza later in the game, stole a pass under GA’s basket and the Vikings forced a turnover before Tretter hit a pair of foul shots to restore a two-possession lead.

Orihel all but iced the game with a pair of free throws with five seconds left as Wood found a way to hold on for the win.

“I think it shows we have a lot of mental toughness,” Tretter said. “Playing the tough games we have in our past, that’s what helps us pull out a game like this when it gets tough. We talked about it in the locker room before the game, play together and play for the person next to you.”

The next time Vizza and Larsen take the court together, it will be as teammates. Both seniors have signed to play at Northeastern next year, where they will join former Wood standout Katie May on the Huskies roster.

It’s a big week coming up for both teams. Wood travels to Bonner & Prenderast on Tuesday, hosts West Catholic on Friday and finishes the week against Penn Charter next Sunday at USciences. The Patriots host two Inter-Ac foes starting with archrival Penn Charter on Tuesday and Episcopal Academy on Friday before visiting Carroll next Sunday.

“Playing these aggressive teams, we just have to be aggressive back and have that same energy,” Booth said. “We never give up and always stick together, so a game like this will be good for our future.”

ARCHBISHOP WOOD 59, GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 57
ARCHBISHOP WOOD 20 11 15 13 – 59
GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 7 18 13 19 – 57
AW: Izzy Larsen 4 0-2 8, Kaitlyn Orihel 4 4-8 14, Ryanne Allen 5 2-3 16, Noelle Baxter 1 0-0 2, Lindsay Tretter 2 2-2 8, Bri Bowen 1 6-12 8, Dana Kiefer 1 0-0 3. Totals: 18 14-27 59,
GA: Jess Moore 2 0-0 6, Becca Booth 6 1-1 13, Maddie Burns 1 0-0 2, Jaye Haynes 6 9-10 22, Maddie Vizza 1 5-6 7, Caitlyn Priore 1 0-0 2, Sarah DiLello 2 0-0 5. Totals: 17 15-17 57.
3-pointers: AW – Allen 4, Orihel 2, Tretter 2, Kiefer; GA – Moore 2, Haynes, DiLello.