Carroll’s defense shuts down North Penn
WHITEMARSH — For a quarter Tuesday night, things were going the North Penn girls basketball team’s way.
The Maidens had Archbishop Carroll off its offensive game and Mikaela Giuliani’s seven points helped North Penn out to a nine-point advantage after the opening eight minutes of the PIAA Class AAAA second-round contest.
But when the Patriots began to pick up their pace, the Maidens could not keep up.
“I feel like their intensity picked up and we didn’t handle that well,’ North Penn sophomore Sam Carangi said. “They were getting up on us on defense and we were just turning the ball over.’
North Penn struggled scoring the final three quarters — Carroll’s press having a large hand in that — while the District 12 third-place side took control late in the third, then pulled away in the fourth for a 39-31 victory at Colonial Elementary School.
“I felt like we didn’t really regroup.’ Maidens coach Maggie deMarteleire said. “There’s a couple times in the third quarter when we made good passes against their press and stuff like that, but the second and the fourth quarter we had a lot of turnovers. But I’m really proud of the kids, I thought that they played outstanding defense and I thought we rebounded the ball really well.
“They’re a good team. We didn’t hit a lot of shots.’
Lexi Stover had 12 points, while Keara McNulty chipped in eight points for Archbishop Carroll (18-9). The Patriots, who lost in the PIAA second round the past two seasons, take on Central Bucks West Friday for a spot in the semis.
Giuliani had 12 points to pace North Penn, which was trying to reach the state quarterfinals for a third straight season. Jess Huber added six points as the Maidens end their season with a 21-9 record.
After North Penn put up 14 in the first quarter, the Maidens had just 17 the rest of the game, with just three in the second quarter. The 31 points were NP’s second-fewest on the season.
“We didn’t hit a lot of shots and I don’t think we were actually taking the best shot that we could have taken,’ deMarteleire said.
A steal and layup by Taylor Thames gave North Penn a 17-15 lead at halftime, but Carroll was even 19-19 at 6:02 in the third thanks to Stover’s three-point play off a drive.
Giuliani scored off an Irisa Ye assist with Ye knocking down a jumper to put the Maidens up 23-19. Ann McKnight reeled off seven straight points for Carroll — banking in a short jumper, hitting a three, then scoring off a Julia Gantz feed — for a 26-23 advantage.
Carangi’s 3-pointer tied things at 26 on for Lexi Kucia to get fouled scoring inside at 1:28. She connected on the and-one, then hit the first of two free throws with 35 seconds left to send Carroll into the fourth leading 30-26.
Archbishop Carroll was in no hurry on offense in the fourth, but when the Maidens made a stop or forced a turnover, they could not convert on chances on the other end.
“I thought our decision-making wasn’t our greatest and they really upped their intensity and their physicality,’ deMarteleire said. “There were two times in particular Irisa was trying to break the press and we just weren’t handling their physical style of play that well.’
McNulty hit both ends of a 1-and-1 for a 32-26 Carroll lead at 5:54 before Carangi’s runner cut the margin back down to four. McNulty, however, provided the Patriots with breathing room by draining a 3-pointer for a 35-28 edge.
A Huber free throw with 2:53 left had NP within six. Carangi was fouled with 1:38, but missed both and 17 seconds later Stover’s three-point play on a basket inside pushed Carroll’s lead to 38-29.
Gantz’s free throw in the final minute had the Patriots up 10 before a Huber layup at the buzzer.
In the first quarter, Giuliani scored on a baseline drive and was fouled at 3:27. She made the foul shots for an 8-2 NP lead. Stover hit a three from the wing, but the Maidens ended the quarter with a 6-0 — the last four points from Bri Hewlett — to go ahead 14-5.
Carroll’s press started to cause turnovers in the second quarter, while a couple good shots by the Maidens did not find the way through the basket.
“We usually handle pressure better than that.’ deMarteleire said. “I generally would like the ball in Sam’s hands when we’re breaking pressure. They did a good job of making that not happen.’
A Giuliani free throw at 6:03 made it 6:07, but that was North Penn’s only point until Thames’ steal and layup in the final seconds. McNulty and Stover hit back-to-back three-pointers, while Bella Sorrentino’s jumper off an inbounds pulled the Patriots level at 15-15.
