March
17, 2005
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| Hilary Scacchetti's first quarter basket gave PV a 10-2 lead and the Indians coasted home to theor first ever Tournament of Champions victory. | |
DOVER TWP. -- As it walked into what has quickly become the friendly confines of the Ritacco Center on the campus of Toms River North High School, the Pascack Valley girls basketball team was relaxed and confident. Just another day in the gym.
A few hours later, the Indians had earned just that, another day in the gym and another game at their home away from home. The poise they had coming in stayed with them throughout a convincing 54-34 win over Sacred Heart of Vineland in the quarterfinal round of the Tournament of Champions.
The Indians, now 29-1, earned a semifinal matchup with second-seeded Woodrow Wilson - Camden (25-3) on Friday, back at the Ritacco Center. Wilson knocked off Northern Highlands, 56-47, to win the Group 3 championship.
"The good karma on this is that I get another day in the gym," PV head coach Jeff Jasper commented. "That's what I care about. We're gonna go in the gym tomorrow and I'm really excited about that, getting another bonus day out of this. This whole thing has been a bonus."
It is
also a bonus for Heather Zurich, who once again was the leader of the Indians'
effort. Her 22 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal were the catalyst
for a superb all-around effort by Valley.
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| Erin Thames and the PV seniors bought themselves at least one more day in the gym with the win over Sacred Heart. |
"We're very comfortable here," Zurich related. "We were focused, very under control and not nervous. Having played here the last game (Group 2 championship win over Rumson) really helped us. We were just ready to go. I love playing here."
Zurich got things started with three jumpers that pushed PV out to an 8-2 lead, then as the Lions defense collapsed on her, she fed Hilary Scacchetti for a bucket to make it 10-2. The Indians never let Sacred Heart (23-7) get back in it.
"Everybody did their job perfectly," Zurich said. "We knew they were a good shooting team and that we had to come out and play them. We wanted to make sure we came out strong in the beginning, because we play a better game when we're strong in the beginning."
In fact, the Lions, who had scored 74 points in their state championship win over Morris Catholic, were stifled by the defensive efforts of Pascack Valley. Kristen Bowen, who had 6 three-pointers and 20 points against MC, was just 1 of 13 shooting overall and 1 of 8 from behind the arc, with the bucket coming in the first quarter.
Teena Marsh, SH's 6-foot-3 center, was outdueled inside by Scacchetti. She had just 6 points and 3 rebounds, while Scacchetti had 13 rebounds and 4 points. PV guards Sara Ely and Rebecca and Jessica Lynch ran the motion half-court offense like veterans instead of two freshmen and a junior.
"They
showed great poise, good spacing, made the right plays," Jasper said. "I credit
the team. They played great defense. Erin (Thames) did a great job on Bowen,
who's going to Navy. She got through those screens. Hilary did a great job
on Marsh, and Heather is Heather."
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| Freshman Rebecca Lynch scored four straight points early in the second quarter to help PV take control. |
The Lions would get no closer than the 14-9 score at the end of the first period, as Rebecca Lynch hit back-to-back baskets to stretch the lead to 18-9 on the way to a 28-14 halftime lead. She finished with 8 points and 4 steals while helping hold SH's Lauren Howell to 11 points on 5 of 15 shooting.
"I thought she was the unsung hero," Jasper said of Jessica Lynch. "She hit some shots and she played stellar defense on Howell. She can score and shoot, and Jessica and Rebecca, the Lynch family did a great job of guarding her."
Meanwhile, Zurich was continuing her torrid postseason, connecting on 10 of 17 shots (including all 5 in the second half) while showing remarkable consistency. She had six points in each of the first three quarters before "settling" for four in the fourth. The Rutgers-bound senior is thriving in the final stages of her high school career.
"I love it. I'm so happy," she said. "I know it's coming to an end soon, but I'm going to enjoy these last few games."
Sacred Heart hit just 12 of 46 shots in the game, including 2 of 16 threes, and was outrebounded by a 43-21 margin. Howell was the only one to reach double figures and Melissa Meyer topped the Lions with 7 rebounds.
"I was pleased that we looked disciplined and coached," Jasper said. "The kids executed well and they played and stayed within the system and did great things. Pass, catch and knock down some shots and you look good. We knocked them down and they didn't."
Valley hit 25 of 55 from the floor and all four of its free throws. Jessica Lynch had 10 points and Thames had all eight of her points in the first half.
So, it's back to the gym at least one more time for the Indians, and you won't find any of them who aren't pleased to be there.
"I'm still getting practice that I'm going to need for next year," Rebecca Lynch remarked, "and it's so amazing. This only my freshman year and I'm already at the Tournament of Champions."
"It's such a great group of kids," Jasper said. "This is an experience of a lifetime for these kids. How much better does this get?"
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