PIAA Class 6A Girls Basketball: Carroll gives Renie Shields a win that a coach could only dream about

RADNOR — It was a game a coach might have thought she only could dream about.

If someone would have told Renie Shields that her host Archbishop Carroll squad would not commit a turnover in the first half of its PIAA Class 6A opener against Neshaminy Friday night, then would hold the Redskins without a field goal in the fourth period, the veteran coach probably would have brushed such a suggestion off as nothing more than an exaggeration.

“That’s what we would like it to be about,” Shields said after the Patriots (13-13), District 12’s third seed, had no turnovers in the first 16 minutes of play and held Neshaminy (21-8) without a basket in the last eight minutes in claiming a 50-37 decision and advancing to the tournament’s second round.

The teams met in the first round of the state tournament for the second consecutive year. With its Friday night success, Carroll, which also won the 2022 contest against Neshaminy, will be matched with District 1 champion Perkiomen Valley in the Class 6A round of 16 Tuesday night.

Junior Brooke Wilson, who got nine of the Patriots’ 15 points in the opening period, led the winners with 15 points, chipped in with a team-high seven rebounds and blocked a pair of shots. Senior Taylor Wilson, who dropped in three shots from behind the arc, had 13 points, four assists and one blocked shot and freshman Alexis Eberz contributed 12 points in her state tournament debut.

Carroll’s other starters, Courtland Schumacher (six points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal) and Meg Sheridan also did their share to make sure that their season would not come to an end on the home court.

“You know what to expect that you will get from Taylor and Brooke,” Shields said. “Courtland and Meg do their parts. And Alexis has been something special the way she has been playing.

“We tell them about taking care of the ball and not trying to rush things. And in the second half, it’s everybody has to defend.”

Brooke Wilson did all she could to give Carroll the advantage in the opening period. Neshaminy kept the score at 15-15 at the first break behind five points from Lola Ibarrondo, who finished with a team-high 12, and a 3-point basket and seven rebounds by Reese Zemitis, who led both teams by claiming 14 missed shots.

Neither team had a turnover in the opening period. Neshaminy was charged with the only misplay of the first half 2:19 before halftime.

“We knew their three best players from last year,” Taylor Wilson said. “We worked on what we expected them to do on offense. The big thing for us was not to try to force the ball inside and work on the things we wanted to do.

“Turnovers have hurt us on offense, so to go that long without a turnover helped make a difference.”

Taylor Wilson hit a pair of 3-point shots in the second period to help Carroll to a 29-24 halftime lead. Eberz had six points in the third period, and the Pats’ defense held the Redskins without a field goal in the last period.

Taylor Wilson said of Eberz, “She’s done such a great job of adjusting this year.” Eberz gives her teammates credit for what they have done for her.

“High school ball is so different,” said the product of Sacred Heart School of Manoa. “I was a big in CYO, but now I’m playing guard. Everyone on this team has been so good to work with.

“Once I got my first two points, I could just calm down and play. And I knew I had to keep working when we were on defense.”

No turnovers in the first half, holding the opponent without a field goal in the third period and having a freshman play like a veteran in her first state tournament game. What more could a coach ask for?