Randazzo finds ways to contribute in O’Hara’s close win over Bonner-Prendie

UPPER DARBY — Sam Randazzo is making the most of her increased playing time this season.

One of two four-year members of the Cardinal O’Hara girls basketball program, the senior guard/forward has flourished in a reserve role for the Lions.

She is one of Chrissie Doogan’s most trusted bench players. 

“I want to do whatever I can,” Randazzo said. “I know my teammates will trust me, too. I just want to help in different ways.”

Randazzo made only two free throws for a total of two points, but she assisted in other ways during O’Hara’s 39-38 win at Bonner-Prendergast Tuesday night.

Randazzo led all players with eight rebounds and made a pair of steals for the Lions, who swept the regular-season series with their rivals from Upper Darby.

“I have been (on the team) for all four years … and it’s nice to be able to help my team,” said Randazzo, who will continue her basketball career at Widener next year.

“It’s been a really good year for us.”

Randazzo stayed on the floor for the final three quarters. Prior to the game, she was honored during Prendie’s senior night along with teammates Stephanie Huseby and Marie Kamper.

Bonner-Prendie paid tribute to seniors Alexis Gleason, Kelly Eisenhart, Sydni Floyd and Ashanti Smalls.

Junior guard Siobhan Boylan made two free throws midway through the fourth quarter to give O’Hara a one-point lead it wouldn’t relinquish. Later, with the Lions clinging to a two-point advantage, Boylan found a cutting Sydni Scott, who scored an easy deuce. The backdoor cut worked not once, but twice in crunch time for the Lions.

“They didn’t trap,” Bonner-Prendie coach Tom Stewart said. “We had it all set up, but they forgot.”

Reagan Dolan drilled a 3-pointer from the corner to cut O’Hara’s advantage to 39-38 with 44.5 seconds left. O’Hara turned the ball over on its ensuing possession, which enabled the Pandas to hold for the last shot.

With 10 seconds to go, sophomore guard Bridie McCann drove to the basket, but her shot fell just off the mark as time expired.

“We’ve had some close games. We were right there with Neumann-Goretti, up by three points with three minutes to go. We have played tough. Our problem this year is we haven’t been able to finish games,” Stewart said. “Bridie at the end of the game, that was a great shot. I told her if she didn’t have anything, just go to the basket. Sometimes that goes in, sometimes it doesn’t. What are you going to do?

“It’s one of those years for us. Our record (7-12) doesn’t indicate it, but we’re not a bad basketball team. We’re just a young team, trying to get better as we go along.”

Last season the Pandas advanced all the way to the PIAA Class 4A semifinal round. Following the Catholic League playoffs, which get under way next week, the Pandas will play for seeding in the state tournament. Five teams from District 12 qualify for the PIAA tourney in March.

“We’ll play the three-four game this year,” Stewart said. “It might be better for us because we probably won’t have Bethlehem Catholic in our bracket, they seem to be beat us every year.”

Boylan poured in a game-high 17 points to pace the Lions (16-4). Boylan was dominant in the opening minutes, tallying the game’s first seven points. Boylan assisted on both of Scott’s fourth-quarter baskets in crunch time.

“She was a match-up problem all night for us,” Stewart said.

Sophomore forward/center Maggie Doogan finished with seven points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals for the Lions. Scott began the game 0-for-8 from the field, but her first and only buckets of the night proved to be the difference. The sophomore guard ended with seven points and three assists.

Junior guard Amaris Baker had all five of her points in the third quarter and chipped in with three rebounds and three assists.

Gleason, who is bound for West Chester University, led the way for the Pandas with 11 points, eight rebounds and three steals. McCann produced seven points and a game-high four assists.

The Lions and Pandas could conceivably meet again in the Catholic League tournament. All but one team in the PCL earns a spot in the playoffs.

As for Tuesday night, the Pandas showed they could compete against the some of the Catholic League’s best programs including the Lions, who are one of the top-four teams in the conference along with Archbishop Wood, Neumann-Goretti and West Catholic. Wood suffered its first PCL loss Tuesday night against West Catholic.