Rustin holds on to top Shanahan and repeat as Ches-Mont champions
WEST CHESTER >> What was supposed to be a final quarter jaunt to the Ches-Mont girls basketball title became a tight, hold your breath fight to the finish.
West Chester Rustin built a big lead after three quarters, then staved off a furious Bishop Shanahan rally to post a 52-38 victory for its second straight Ches-Mont League Girls Basketball Final Four championship Tuesday at Hollinger Fieldhouse on the campus of West Chester University.
“It feels good,” said Rustin coach Lauren Stackhouse on repeating as league champions. “Especially with this group of young ladies. They’re such a great group. Great players, better kids. I’m just excited every time I get to step out onto the court with them.”
The game was billed as a clash between the two division champions (Rustin in the American, Shanahan in the National) who went unbeaten on their respective sides and the top two seeds in the District 1 5A playoffs.
Rustin (21-3) got off to a dream start, jumpimg out to a 9-0 lead halfway through the first quarter. Four different Rustin players scored during the run. Shanahan (20-4) finally got on the board on a jumper from Abby Wolf.
The Golden Knights scored five of the last seven points of the quarter to take a 16-4 lead.
“We started really hot,” said Rustin’s Laine McGurk. “We were really prepared. We went over so many hours of film to prepare for this. We knew how to break them down and get into good spots.”
The three-pointers that were so good to the Eagles in their semifinal win over Unionville, spurned them in the final like a jilted lover. They missed their first 11 efforts from behind the line.
The second quarter was not much kinder to Shanahan. Rustin went on an impressive 16-0 run over the final six minutes of the second to take a 32-8 advantage at the break.
Riley Stackhouse had a huge three and another basket in the spurt. She ended the night with 15 points.
“It feels great,” said Stackhouse. “Last game (semifinal victory over Coatesville) I was a little off. I knew this game I would be on.”
“Her confidence is through the roof,” added McGurk on Stackhouse. “She has the green light to shoot. Seeing it go the net, it takes so much pressure off the guards. It’s so helpful. We love it when she take those shots.”
The lead ballooned to 39-16, then Shanahan started to fight back. They scored eight of the last 10 points to cut into the lead at the end of the third, 41-24. Then, it got even better for them.
Rustin started getting sloppy with the ball and the long distance started to be more feast than famine.
They held Rustin scoreless for nearly five minutes, while they cut into the deficit. When Brown made three free throws after being fouled on a long range attempt, the lead was down to 41-38 with 4:39 left and the Shanahan fans were joyous for the first time all evening, while the Rustin faithful were getting nervous.
“I said to girls at halftime, don’t expect this isn’t going to go down without a fight,” said Lauren Stackhouse. “They’re going to come out swinging and and we have to make sure we counter it, and we did. I couldn’t be more prouder of the way they played.”
McGurk calmed the Rustin fans a little by making a foul-line jumper to push it to 43-38. Shortly thereafter, Ava Panetta scored on a driving layup to make it 45-38 with 2:10 left. McGurk then followed with five free throws to let the fans exhale as the championship was firmly in Rustin’s grasp.
After celebrating and being presented with the championship trophy, the Rustin players stood outside their locker room waiting to douse their coach with water when she walked in.
Both teams now have a couple of days to recover before starting PIAA District 1 5A play. They both have first-round byes before taking the court next Wednesday. Along with Villa Maria, they are the top three seeds in a huge statement for Chester County.
“It says a lot about the basketball in this area and how far it has come,” said Stackhouse. “It’s exciting to be a part of it.”
West Chester Rustin 52, Bishop Shanahan 38
Bishop Shanahan: Ambrose 5 0-0 11; Wolf 1 0-0 2; Brown 4 4-4 15; Bojko 3 0-0 6; Blumenthal 2 1-4 3; Oswald 0 0-0 0; Hubiak 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16 5-8 38.
WC Rustin: Panetta 2 1-3 5; Flynn 5 0-1 10; E.McGurk 3 3-4 9; L. McGurk 4 5-6 13; Stackhouse 5 2-2 15; Kraft 0 0-0 0; Barry 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19 11-16 52.
Bishop Shanahan 4 4 16 12 — 38
WC Rustin 16 16 9 11 — 52
3-point goals: Ambrose, Brown 4, Stackhouse 3.
