John Jay Can’t Finish in 51-37 Loss

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On January 23, the Wolves hosted Pleasantville at John Jay High School, and the Friday night match up looked pretty good into the second quarter. The Wolves jumped out to a 19-9 lead, but the Panthers answered with a run that turned the tide for good.

The visitors scored the next 14 points and ruined John Jay’s weekend with a convincing 51-37 victory.

The Panthers clawed first, though. Aislin Harrison got to the line for two free throws, and Emma Murray muscled an off balance putback for the first four points of the game.

So Gabby Camaj woke John Jay from it’s early slumber and got the Wolves on the board with a triple from downtown. Kylie Bishop then busted through the paint for two, and Schembri hit Heather Martinsen for an open three pointer.

Eight in a row, Murray’s subsequent putback at 2:43 was just a pause, and that had Gianna Pelosi pressing the play button. She received from Bishop for a long range deuce, and after gobbling up a loose ball, her feed to Charlotte Omin was good for two more from the outside.

12 to 6, Julie Karaqi’s foul shot was the next brief blip on the agenda, and Lina Halaifonua made sure. The forward pulled down the miss, and one the other side, Camaj made no apologies for sinking a triple off the glass.

In at 1:32, Maddie Becerra’s coast to coast drive didn’t seem cause for concern - especially since the Wolves answered right back. Omin’s drive through the paint closed the quarter, and Pelosi’s baseline drive beat the press for a ten point lead with 7:38 remaining.

Unfortunately, the Panthers finally got off the bus. Murray drove baseline for two points, Lexi Tomaselli scored on the fast break after Omin lost the ball, and then she hit from downtown for a 19-18 game.

4:11 left in the first half, Pleasantville wasn’t about to be slowed down. Tomaselli sunk an off-balance layup against the square and next freed up Harrison for a layup on the dribble penetration.

Down four points, now it was John Jay’s turn to briefly pardon the interruption, and Schembri provided the blip when she went the length of the court. Brevity ruling, Tomaselli caught Murray on the cut underneath the basket to close the half, and she didn’t cool off to start the third period. She drove from above the arc and gave her team a 27-21 lead.

A short baseline jumper by Schembri at the six minute mark was more of the same script. In response, Karaqi hit Murray on the move at 5:18, and after multiple John Jay offensive rebounds and missed layups, Murray hit a teardrop to go up eight points.

Unable to get away just yet, Pleasantville still had some John Jay fight to overcome. Omin had two baskets, and Bea Hill sank four free throws to keep it respectable at 39-32.

Four minutes to go, John Jay didn’t do themselves any favors. So however admirable the onslaught of offensive rebounds, the girls could just not finish off the possessions. Pleasantville, on the other hand, got to the rim and through the nylon for the final victory.

Click the image for action shots versus The Pleasantville Panthers

Click the image for John Jay Crows Shots

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