Rustin pummels Kennett to repeat as C-M American champs
KENNETT SQUARE – As championship games go, it’s hard to imagine a less competitive outing than what transpired Thursday at Kennett’s Reynolds Gymnasium.
The Ches-Mont American girls’ basketball title was at stake as the Blue Demons hosted West Chester Rustin, but it was essentially over midway through period number one. The Golden Knights opened in a full-court zone press that proved to be the difference, leading to a 58-31 trouncing that was more lopsided than the score indicates.
“We got our butts kicked. We have to own that,” said Kennett head coach Vince Cattano.
“I said to my coaching staff late in the fourth quarter that I did not see this coming,” added Rustin head coach Jim Powers. “This was not what I expected.”
The Knights improve to 9-1 in the division (16-5 overall) and successfully defended their division crown from a year ago. Rustin now heads into Saturday’s Ches-Mont Final Four at West Chester East, where it will take on West Chester Henderson in the semifinals.
“It’s really exciting. This was one of our goals,” said the Knights’ Dikiya Daniels, who led all scorers with 14.
“It’s nice, and it’s great for the girls,” Powers added. “I’m happy for them. But we were a number one seed last year and didn’t advance. So I don’t know if it means anything.”
For Kennett, it was a humbling foray into high-pressure basketball. The Demons are now 8-2 (15-7 overall), and as the division runner-up, they will take on Downingtown East on Saturday in the other semifinal.
“(Rustin) is a team that’s been here before,” Cattano said. “We’ve never been in this situation. We were stunned. We looked like a deer in the headlights.”
It was obvious from the start. Just 196 seconds in, Kennett had five turnovers, already trailed by double digits and Cattano had called a pair of timeouts. And then, believe it or not, things got really bad for the Blue Demons.
“I thought this game would be much closer,” admitted Grace Plona, who added 12 points for the Knights.
In all, Kennett had more turnovers (17) than buckets (11). The Demons appeared unprepared for Rustin’s pressure, and it quickly seemed to sap Kennett’s mojo from the opening tipoff. And at the other end, the Knights were on target from the perimeter shooting over the Demons’ zone.
“We don’t throw (the press) out there every game but we use it probably more than people realize,” Powers explained.
“We did not press (Kennett) at all the first time. We just wanted to do something different that maybe they wouldn’t be ready for.”
At the other end, Grace Shivers capped the dream start for Rustin with a couple 3-pointers and it was 23-7 heading into the second quarter. And then when the Knights scored the first dozen points of the second quarter, it was 35-7.
“I couldn’t ask for more, and it all started with the defense,” Powers said. “Our starting five came out and set the tone with the pressure.”
Already a bad night, things then bottomed out when the Demons failed to score a single point in the second quarter.
“I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that happen,” Powers said.
“What shocked me the most was that we’ve seen that type of (defensive) pressure multiple times this season, and handled it pretty well,” Cattano added. “Today it was, ‘I can’t believe this is happening.’ But it did. Rustin pressured us, and they won because of it.
“I’ve never used five time outs in a first half. I just wanted to get them settled. They finally did that in the second half.”
Kennett started the second half with an 11-3 run, and wound up outscoring Rustin in the final 16 minutes, but it was far too late.
“We came out ready to play,” Daniels said.
“We were really worried about (Kennett’s) shooting, so it was important for us to get off to a good start and get an early lead,” Plona added.
“That (second quarter) did surprise me. But we were quick and aggressive as a unit on defense.”
Shivers scored 12 points on four 3-pointers, Becca Magrone chipped in 10 points and Laney Costin led the way on the boards for the Knights.
“Grace (Shivers) has been working on her game, she found her stroke tonight and it paid off when we needed her,” Powers said.
Andrea Prestianne scored 11 of her 13 points in the second half to lead the Demons. Maddie Fowler added 10 points for Kennett, but left the game with a finger injury.
“We just followed up a bad (first) quarter with a worse quarter,” Cattano recalled. “What are you going to do?
“I told the kids they can’t beat themselves up over it. Hopefully, now that we’ve experienced a big-time pressure game, it will help us Saturday. We have to move on.”
West Chester Rustin 58, Kennett 31
WEST CHESTER RUSTIN – Shivers 4 0-0 12; Plona 5 3-4 13; Gatto 1 0-0 2; Magrone 4 0-0 10; DiCampli 1 0-0 3; Daniels 5 4-7 14; Costin 2 0-1 4. Totals 22 7-12 58.
KENNETT – LaCosta 1 0-0 3; Lusvardi 2 0-0 5; Prestianne 5 1-2 13; Fowler 3 2-3 10. Totals 11 3-5 31.
W.C. Rustin 23 12 16 7 — 58
Kennett 7 0 15 9 — 31
Three-pointers: Shivers 4, Magrone 2, DiCampli, LaCosta, Lusvardi, Prestianne 2, Fowler 2.
