Neumann-Goretti’s big 2nd quarter too much for Lansdale Catholic in PCL quarterfinals

LANSDALE >> Momentum had swung away from the Lansdale Catholic girls basketball team prior to junior standout Gabby Casey picking up a third foul with 3:25 left in the first half.

The Crusaders had built a 21-10 lead early in the second quarter of Thursday night’s Philadelphia Catholic League quarterfinal only for Neumann-Goretti to quickly erase that with 11 straight points.

“Even before she picked up that third foul, things weren’t really trending – we got away with being undisciplined,” Crusaders coach Eric Gidney said. “We got for a while there with what I felt was poor rotations defensively, lack of communication defensively but I think that we boxed out well and that helped us there and we didn’t let them get second-chance opportunities.

A Cassidy Saulino three-point play stopped the Saints’ run but 31 seconds later Casey was whistled for her third, sending her to the bench until after the break.  Neumann-Goretti, meanwhile, kept rolling, capping the half with an 18-2 surge – Brooke Barnes’ 3-pointer completing a 31-point outburst in the quarter and putting the visitors up 39-26.

The fifth-seeded Saints stretched the advantage to 20 in the third but the No. 4 Crusaders charged back to pull within seven entering the fourth. Neumann-Goretti, however, collected the first seven points of the final quarter and held off Lansdale Catholic for a 66-52 victory.

“We came out with a hot start and we were on top and then once they started making shots it just looked like we were going downhill from there,” Casey said. “And we had a run but we couldn’t climb out of that hole.”

Mihjae Hayes was 13-for-15 from the foul line in finishing with a game-high 27 points for Neumann-Goretti, which advances to face top seed Archbishop Carroll in the semifinals 5:30 p.m. Tuesday  at Conwell-Egan. D’Ayzha Atkinson added 19 points while Amaya Scott scored all 10 of her points in the second quarter.

“I think we started off struggling but one thing I told these guys heading into it, Lansdale Catholic is a very hard gym to play in,” Neumann-Goretti coach Andrea Peterson said. “Tough environment when you got their student section chanting everything at you. But I told them as long as they stay together and dig deep, things aren’t going to go your way but it’s all about the response.”

Casey, who scored 40 points in the Crusaders’ win over the Saints Feb. 5, totaled a team-best 19 points Thursday before fouling out on a charge with 5:24 remaining in the fourth and LC trailing 58-48. From there, the closest Lansdale Catholic (15-7) could get was nine at 61-52 after a Lauren Edwards basket.

“Sometimes it doesn’t really look like we have much energy on the floor and it just kills me inside to be sitting on the bench,” Casey said. “And just knowing I’m leaving my teammates out to dry.”

Sanyiah Littlejohn had 11 points while Edwards chipped in 10 points for the Crusaders, who now get ready for a District 12-4A seeding game then the PIAA tournament.

“We just didn’t have an answer tonight and I think despite that I think we’re still super proud of how far we’ve come,” Gidney said. “Again, to go from a 2-11 team to now sitting at 15-7 and a top four PCL regular season team but could of won this game, should of won this game. Hats off to them, they executed much better than we do late in the second quarter.

“But we’ll learn from this and apply from this just like we did all of last year. And if we sort of improve at that same rate, next season – not to get ahead of ourselves – but next season looks really promising.”

Down 49-29, Casey powered LC’s comeback try, scoring the first nine points of a 15-2 run to finish the third. The junior’s corner made it 49-38 with a Littlejohn basket pulling the Crusaders within nine.

“I guess just realizing the score and realizing my team needed me,” Casey said. “And I had it going for a little bit.”

Hayes’ basket had the Saints leading 51-40 before Nadia Yemola hit both ends of a 1-and-1 with 52.6 seconds while Littlejohn got a shot to drop off a drive, making it 51-44 after 24 minutes.

But Hayes began the fourth with a three-point play at 7:43 then assisted on an Atkinson basket. Atkinson came up with a steal then found Barnes with a bounce pass for two more and a 58-44 Saints lead.

“Mihjae had a killer instinct that is something that is going to take her far,” said Gidney of Hayes, “And it took her far tonight.”

Casey scored the game’s first six points with two from Edwards giving LC an 8-0 lead. 

An Edwards 3-pointer had the Crusaders up 12-4 before two Hayes free throws and an Atkinson putback at the buzzer made it 12-8 at the end of the first quarter.

“We just kind of didn’t really continue to put our foot on the gas there,” Gidney said. “Again, we didn’t execute offensively. I think we got mentally and maybe physically comfortable with a 8-0 lead because you remember I think the last time we played them we won by eight and that’s not going to be enough come playoff time.”

An Olivia Boccella three gave Lansdale Catholic a 17-10 lead with Littlejohn converting a three-point play at 6:27 then hitting the second of two at the line to put the hosts up 11 at 6:01.

The Saints, however, outscored LC 29-5 the rest of the half, beginning with 11 consecutive points – a pair of Hayes baskets bookending five straight points from Scott to make it 21-19. An Atkinson jumper off a Carryn Easley assist knotted things at 21.

Saulino’s 3-point play at 3:56 had LC back ahead 24-21 but a Hayes bucket had the Saints level 24-24 with Hayes driving then finding Barnes for a corner trey, the visitors taking the lead for the first time and never relinquishing it.

Littlejohn banked in a shot of a drive to make it 27-26 but those were the last points of the half for the Crusaders. 

After an Atkinson basket, Scott drained a three for a 32-26 Saints advantage. Another two from Atkinson, a pair at the line from Hayes and Barnes knocking down a 3-pointer had Neumann-Goretti leading by 13 at halftime.

PCL Quarterfinals

(5) Neumann-Goretti 66, (4) Lansdale Catholic 52

Neumann-Goretti 8 31 12 15 – 66

Lansdale Catholic 12 14 18 8 – 52

Neumann-Goretti: Mihjae Hayes 6 13-15 27; D’Ayzha Atkinson 9 1-3 18; Amaya Scott 3 2-2 10; Brooke Barnes 3 0-0 8; Amirah Hackney 1 0-0 2; Totals 22 16-20 66.

Lansdale Catholic: Gabby Casey 8 2-2 19; Sanyiah Littlejohn 4 3-6 11; Lauren Edwards 4 1-2 10; Nadia Yemola 2 2-2 6; Olivia Boccella 1 0-0 3; Cassidy Saulino 1 1-1 3; Sam McHugh 0 0-1 0; Totals 20 9-14 52.

3-pointers: NG-Barnes 2, Hayes 2 Scott 2; LC-Boccella, Casey, Edwards.