Gators Chomp Away to Victory

The Nardin Gators (3-2) and the Starpoint Lady Spartans (1-4, 1-7) may have been playing in a consolation game on Thursday night, but they were competing like they were going for a championship. After an evenly matched back and forth affair in the first half, the Gators pulled away in the second picking up a 47-36 win in the Art Dobson Memorial High School Girls Basketball Tournament held at Sacred Heart Academy.

Both teams had trouble getting much going offensively in the first half as the game was tied at 14.

Jasmine Mott and Megan Weber were both on the board for Starpoint. Mott, a captain and three-year varsity player, facilitated the offense. Weber had a three-pointer to start the game and was a long-range threat all game. Allison Wick was a strong presence in the frontcourt, drawing three fouls, and played tough defense.

The Spartans got off to a quick start in the third quarter picking up a four point lead, but Nardin came back quickly with a big run that they would never let go.

“We came together and realized we need to do the little things”, Nardin Head Coach Kendra Brim said.

After coming off the bench late in the second quarter sophomore Judy Anne Spira got into a grove in the third quarter providing the spark the Gators needed to get into a rhythm and win.

According to Brim, Spria’s play is exactly what the team needs from her, saying “We want Judy to be a powerful post player, in practice we drill into her that she’s going to be the tallest kid on the court and people are going to come after her. We need her to come off the bench and have that fire.”

One of those players who got into a rhythm was Alexandra Hartnett. Hartnett scored 10 points in the third quarter after scoring just eight in all of the first half. Heading into the forth the Gators began to chomp away and separate from Starpoint with a 32-27 lead.

“We really started to get focused and we kept talking on the court”, Spira said. “We kept pushing all the way through and never gave up.”

Hartnett lead her team with 22 points. Spira ended the game with nine points and was strong around the rim. Senior Sydney Scello had 10 points in the win.

“Our defense kept us in the game for a really long time but in the last three minutes we gave up some easy layups and we didn’t take care of the ball”, Starpoint Head Coach Megan Johnson admitted.

“We have personal pride”, Brim stated. “We want to make a statement to Monsignor Martin that we are here to compete.”

The Gators will travel to Nichols to take on the Vikings for their first game of the New Year on Wednesday at 6pm. Next up for Starpoint, the Spartans will host Roy-Hart on Tuesday at 7pm.