Pearl River Attack is too much for the Wolves

Please scroll to end for JV (Nanuet) and Varsity Photos

On Monday December 15, John Jay hosted Pearl River and came out strong. Two quick layups and the Wolves strut looked sharp. But Pearl River maintained the early pace, and basketball skills abound, the Pirates attack was no illusion.

Defense, shooting, passing and rebounding, the Pirates didn’t let up and went home with a 64-28 victory.

Still, the start did elevate. On the pick and roll, Gabby Camaj lofted a perfect pass over the top to Helena Schembri, and the layup dropped like a basketball textbook.

A John Jay stop on the other wasn’t bad either. That is until Pearl River revealed the big part of their game. Riley Cahill grabbed the rebound, got the ball to Maddy Lynch, and her jumper went glass.

2-2, defense and the full court press was next. Beaten on the first go around, the ball ended up on the right to Kylie Bishop ,and the eighth grader put on a spin move to sink an underhand layup.

The failed dry run did not deter and gave way to Pirate ball movement. Around the perimeter, Caitlyn Donohue got the last touch and gave her team the lead for good with a corner three.

6:45 left in the first, Jay obliged with a turnover, and Pearl River made the Wolves pay underneath. Two more offensive rebounds and Lynch closed the deal with a conventional three point play.

No press this time, Pearl River still came down heavy. Lynch snuck in behind Charlotte Omin and forced a jump ball. The arrow pointed to Pearl River, and Donohue put on her directional light to find Cahill alone under the basket.

She made the easy layup, but John Jay wasn’t giving in just yet. The girls beat the press, and from the right, Camaj hit a trailing Omin for the layup.

Unfortunately, Pearl River wasn’t impressed and continued to show the tools on their belt. Notching up, Cahill got out from underneath and buried a three for a 13-6 lead.

John Jay pressed on nonetheless. After Gianna Pelosi escaped the backcourt with a behind the back dribble, the guard found Bishop in the corner, and her three made it a four point game.

Of course, Pearl River didn’t miss a beat. They beat the press, Lynch came flying across midcourt and got to the line.

Making both, the Pirate guard then showed how to execute the press. She got the steal then set up Shannon Orr for the lay up.

17-8, three pressure induced turnovers kept John Jay from getting any closer and separation was inevitable. Another offensive rebound kept the Pearl River possession alive at 2:15, and Cahill received on the inside for a conventional three point play.

The Wolves did have one last gasp, though. They beat the press, and Camaj caught a streaking Pelosi for a runner down the lane.

She missed the free throw, and no hesitation, the ball got ahead to Grace Palumbo. She dropped a baseline jumper, and a turnover later, Katie Duffy hit a teardrop in the paint.

A 14 point lead opened, Pearl River had one more turnover to force in the quarter. Palumbo cornered Avery Bisignano on the sideline and her deflection went off the Wolf. Then on the inbound, Lynch’s penetration drew a crowd and opened Cahill up for a layup.

26-10 at the end of the quarter, Pearl River kept with the program and all John Jay could do was wait out the rest of the ticks.

Click image for photos vs Pearl River

Click Image for JV v Nan and Senior Night Ceremony