Girls Basketball: Marist rally goes for naught against Trinity
By Tony Baranek tbaranek@southtownstar.com January 16, 2012 6:12PM
Players from Marist and Trinity battle for a rebound. | Tamara Bell~For Sun Times Media
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Updated: February 18, 2012 8:10AM
No. 1 Marist found plenty of heart during a furious second-half comeback Monday against Trinity in the McDonald’s Shootout at Willowbrook.
The RedHawks’ finishing kick, however, came up just a little bit short in a 57-52 loss.
JeTaun Rouse had 18 points, Leah Bolton 14 points and seven rebounds and Asiana Bey nine points and six rebounds as Marist (19-1) dropped from the ranks of the unbeaten.
DePaul-bound Megan Podkowa totaled 17 points and nine rebounds and Taylor Nazon 15 points for Trinity (17-1).
The RedHawks stumbled out of the gate, falling behind 15-4 in a matter of a few minutes. It was 33-20 Trinity early in the third period before Marist seriously began to turn the tide.
It almost was as if Marist found another gear, pouncing on rebounds and loose balls. Bey had a pair of steals, both of which resulted in baskets at the other end by Rouse. Bolton also scored a flurry of points as the RedHawks made it 41-38 after three.
“We knew that since we were down we’d have to put up a lot of pressure,” Bolton said. “We realized the game was on the line and we’d have to work hard.”
Rouse scored the first two baskets of the fourth quarter to give the RedHawks a 42-41 lead. Trinity, behind two three-pointers by Nazon, jumped back in front, but another Marist outburst, capped by a layup by Rouse off an alley-oop pass from Randyll Butler, created a 49-all tie with 3:31 remaining.
It was then that Marist’s would-be stunning come-from-behind victory attempt went awry.
On the RedHawks’ next six possessions they would go 0-of-6 from the field and 1-of-4 from the free-throw line. Trinity didn’t exactly capitalize in a big way, but the 6-foot-1 Podkowa did enough damage with six points to close out Marist.
Oh, to have that first half back.
“Oh, how about it,” Marist coach Mary Pat Connolly said. “You know, our girls played with such heart. They kind of shot themselves in the foot in the first quarter, with unforced turnovers. That was all our own fault. But boy, they really turned it on and came back in the second half and they played with everything they had. How can you be disappointed? It was a great girls basketball game. Hats off to Trinity.”
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