Iacone’s three helps Villa Maria stave off Shanahan for chance to defend 5A title

DOWNINGTOWN >> The Bishop Shanahan girls basketball team finally had momentum for the first time all evening, cutting a lead in half with time left in the fourth quarter. Then, one of the more unlikely three-point shooters for Villa Maria, Ella Iacone, hoisted one up that bounced on the rim for what seemed like a eternity before falling through the net for a little breathing room as the Hurricanes went on to post a 44-35 victory in the District 1 5A Girls Basketball semifinals Friday.

“It touched every inch of the rim, but it went in and they put it in on the (score) board, so I’m happy,” said Villa coach Kathy McCartney.

“Honestly, I didn’t make the first one I tried, then I didn’t shoot again until that three,” added Iacone. “I shot it and it took like five seconds off the clock and it rolled in and it brought that feeling, that energy back again. I was like, ‘please go in, please go in.’”

Second-seeded Villa, which beat Shanahan last season for the 5A crown, will make a return trip to the Liacouras Center at Temple to defend its title against top-seeded West Chester Rustin next Saturday at noon.

“It’s a heck of a challenge,” McCartney said of the Golden Knight. “They’re very, very good. But, I think we’ll up for the challegne. We’ll see.”

The Hurricanes took a double-digit lead, 31-21, into the fourth quarter, when Shanahan started to make things interesting. After trading baskets to start the fourth, the Eagles made a 6-0 run, punctuated by a basket by Faith Ambrose following a steal, to cut the deficit to 33-32 with 4:50 left.

Abby Ferry and Alice Nash recorded baskets before Iacone’s three pushed the lead to 40-32 with 3:21 left. Despite missing three free throws down the stretch, the Hurricanes held on to book their spot in the title game.

Shanahan managed only a late three from Ambrose in the final three minutes. The Eagles missed 11 straight shots during that span.

“They’ve been good three-point shooters all season, we knew that,” said McCartney. “I said to my kids at one of the timeouts that this isn’t over, they’re not going to quit.”

The outside shooting that carried Shanahan in last week’s Ches-Mont Final Four semifnal against Unionville, deserted them against Villa. They misfired on their first eight attempts from deep until Alyssa Brown (11 points) connected midway through the second period. Shanahan was just 3-for-25 from the floor in the first half.

Sam Blumenthal was a terror on the offensive glass for the Eagles early, scoring their first four points, but Villa slowly started to gain control. They scored the final six points of the quarter to take a 10-4 lead after one period. Marah McHugh and Claire Cronley scored all of Villa’s points.

Even though Shanahan was struggling from the field, they maintained contact with Villa, and went into the halftime break, trailing, 17-10.

After being held to one basket in the second quarter, McHugh came alive in the third period. She scored four points in a quick 6-0 run to build a 22-10 advantage, three minutes into the third. McHugh would finish with eight points in the third and 16 for the game.

“Definitely patience,” McHugh said when asked what was working for her. “I tend to rush, so I was really focusing on patience and passing around with my teammates.”

Notes: The Villa Maria student section, who during a playoff game last year, came in costumes, showed up Friday in their best prom or formal dresses over their clothes. “We chose it,” McHugh said of the theme. “It was awesome.” … Shanahan ackowledged former longtime softball coach Ron Savastio at halftime on his 90th birthday.

Villa Maria 44, Bishop Shanahan 35
Villa Maria: Guerzon 1 4-7 7; Irvine 2 0-0 4; McHugh 8 0-3 16; Iacone 2 2-2 7; Cronley 2 0-0 4; Tran 0 0-0 0; Ferry 1 0-0 2; Nash 1 2-2 4. Totals: 17 8-14 44.
Bishop Shanahan: Ambrose 3 0-0 7; Wolf 1 2-2 5; Brown 4 0-0 11; Bojko 1 4-6 6; Blumenthal 3 0-1 6; Hubiak 0 0-0 0. Totals: 12 6-9 35.
Villa Maria 10 7 14 13 — 44
Bishop Shanahan 4 10 7 14 — 35
3-point goals: Guerzon, Iacone, Ambrose, Brown 3, Wolf, Ambrose.