Dialog reporter
WILMINGTON – On most nights, if Ursuline goes nearly an entire half without guards Alisha Lewis and Maggie Connolly scoring a single point, the Raiders could be in trouble. But on Jan. 9, when Archbishop Carroll came to town from Radnor Township, Pa., Delaware’s top-ranked girls high school basketball team turned to other sources for offense on the way to a 45-31 victory.
It was the home opener for Ursuline after eight games on the road or at neutral sites. The Patriots were a late addition to the Raiders’ schedule and came into the game undefeated.
“It’s a really good experience to play against them. It boosts our confidence so we know we’re ready to play good teams,” Ursuline junior Olivia Mason said. “We knew they were going to be good competition, so we’re excited.”
The teams traded leads early, but Ursuline pulled out to a 10-7 lead after one thanks to the inside game. Forwards Mason, Kryshell Gordy and Lindsay Brown scored eight of those points from in close as the Raiders outrebounded the Patriots and reached most of the loose balls.
“It was really important (to establish the rebounding). Our shots weren’t really falling tonight, so we just had to share the ball and pound it inside, and that’s what we did,” Mason said.
Mason continued her strong play into the second period, as her consecutive field goals staked Ursuline to a 17-10 advantage. Lewis finally reached the scoresheet with 1:50 to go before the half on an old-fashioned three-point play, and Connolly did the same the next time down the floor to extend the Raiders’ lead to 25-15.
Yanni Hendley opened the third quarter with her second three-point shot of the game, and the Raiders were never seriously threatened. Their stifling defense frustrated Carroll and caused several turnovers. On one, Lewis picked an opponent’s pocket at midcourt and went the other way in a two-on-one with Connolly. Lewis hit her teammate with a nice spin pass, and Connolly laid the ball in.
The lead grew to as many as 19 in the final eight minutes before the Patriots’ Bella Sorrentino hit a pair of free throws and Holly Masciantonio drained her third and final three-pointer of the evening. But by then Ursuline was well on its way to victory.
Mason led the winners with 12 points, while Connolly and Gordy had 10 each. The Raiders (8-1) stay in the Philadelphia Catholic League for their next game, which is Sunday against Archbishop Wood at Philadelphia University as part of the Scholastic Play-by-Play Maggie Lucas Classic. Game time is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
Sorrentino and Masciantonio each had a dozen for Carroll.
