Sunday,
February 24, 2013
By Rich Barton
NJS.com Staff Writer
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She’kinah Suber answered the bell on many occasions for Lincoln, which won a wild 48-43 double overtime victory of Secaucus in the Hudson County Tournament final. |
JERSEY CITY – On more than one occasion on Saturday night, Lincoln’s She’kinah Suber felt the Lions’ reign as Hudson County champions coming to an end. With a game full of twists and turns, Suber knew she had to step up and remain a calming influence. Also, with the Secaucus defense focused on standout Breanna Bey inside, someone had to rise to the occasion if the Lions were going to hold onto their title. Suber was more than willing to be that player to put the ball in the basket. Little did she know just how many times she would have to do it at the most critical of moments.
Suber hit a fadeaway baseline jumper with 12 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. She then hit two free-throws and a layup in the final minute of the second overtime as top-seeded Lincoln retained its title with a wild 48-43 victory in the Hudson County Tournament final at the Yanitelli Center on the campus of St. Peter’s University in Jersey City.
“Both teams went through every emotion possible throughout this game,” said Lincoln head coach Tommie Best. “At points we thought we had it, and at other points we thought we let it slip away. No matter what the circumstances were, we had to keep playing our game and try to block out everything else.”
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Julia McClure hit two 3-pointers that, both times, looked to have given Secaucus control. |
As intense as the end of the game was, the beginning was just the opposite as both teams combined for just five points over the first eight minutes of game. Lincoln started to take control, though, as Suber had a conventional 3-point play in the midst of a 9-2 spurt that helped the Lions grab a 22-15 lead at the half.
Secaucus sliced into the lead in the second half before finally taking the lead on a 3-pointer by Julia McClure with 6:20 to play. Lincoln freshman Natalie Cortez answered with a 3 of her own to put the Lions in front and the race was on. After Secaucus’ Zoe Pero and Bey traded baskets, McClure hit a 3-pointer from the wing that gave the Patriots a 36-34 lead.
They had the chance to put the game away, but missed the front end of a one-and-one. Free-throws were an Achilles’ heel for the Patriots all night long and it burned them late as Suber hit a 10-foot fadeaway with Pero and McClure in her face with 12 seconds left to tie the game. The Patriots had a last possession, but thought they were up by a point and started dribbling out the clock before realizing the mistake and throwing up a half-court heave that fell short as the teams headed for overtime.
Things went from bad to worse for Secaucus as Pero picked up her fifth foul right off the opening tap of the first extra session. The Patriots still maintained a one-point lead inside with just 24 seconds to go when, instead of forcing the Lions to foul, took a 3-pointer from the corner that was off the mark. Bey grabbed the rebound and eventually scored on the other end to give Lincoln a one-point lead. Secaucus’ Andie Lennon then hit the second of two free-throws in the waning seconds to force a second overtime.
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Freshman Natalie Cortez hit a big fourth quarter 3-pointer for Lincoln. |
Even though this was a time where the Lions could have gotten tight, Suber felt her team was actually more relaxed heading into the second extra session.
“It was weird how we should have been nervous but we weren’t,” said Suber. “I was definitely nervous in the fourth quarter and I think we all had our doubts when (McClure) hit that 3 to put them ahead, but when we got to the overtimes, we got our aggression back. We were a little tired, but we had a lot of adrenaline and we had to come together as a team. We came too far to let anyone stand in our way now.”
The scored remained tied until freshman Zhane Williams put the Lions ahead, 44-42, on a pull-up jumper from the elbow with 1:18 to play. Kristina Ulrich hit one of two from the line to cut the two-point lead in half and Secaucus had several golden opportunities to take the lead after a steal at mid-court. But one wide-open layup was missed and two other layups off of offensive rebounds were also missed before Suber was fouled.
She hit both free-throws and then scored on a breakaway layup with 15 seconds to play for the final margin as Lincoln survived and was able to celebrate a county championship for the second straight year.
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Zoe Pero was effective inside for Secaucus before fouling out early in the first overtime. |
“Best feeling in the world, there’s nothing like it,” added Suber. “To win two crazy games in the semifinals and the finals last year and then to do it again this year? Amazing.”
Suber finished with 17 points and Bey added 11 for Lincoln (25-1). McClure finished with a trio of 3-pointer en route to a game-high 19 points for Secaucus (24-2).
Although the state tournament is looming and Lincoln looks to get Kiante Johnson back into the lineup, the Lions will use Sunday to decompress after, arguably, the biggest victory in the history of the program.
“Last year felt great, but to win it this year the way we won it was even sweeter,” said Best. “It’s an unbelievable feeling to work hard for a goal and achieve in this way. Secaucus is a really, really good team that gave us all sorts of problems. We knew Breanna couldn’t carry us by herself today. We needed a team effort and we got one. It’s going to be tough to top this one.”
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