By Aaron M Smith
PHILADELPHIA, PA – For Chatilla van Grinsven and the St. Joseph’s women’s basketball team it was a shot at redemption. Just one week after losing at #11 Dayton in the Atlantic 10 regular season finale, the Hawks found themselves with another opportunity against the top ranked Flyers. Only this time the stakes were higher – a ticket to Brooklyn was on the line.
For the 6’3” forward, the first meeting was possibly her worst A-10 conference game performance in the 2012-13. Saddled with early foul trouble the Helmond, Netherlands native never got untracked finishing with just 8 points and 9 rebounds, well below her season average of 15.2 ppg and 10.5 rebounds.
“Of course it was kinda like revenge because we should have had that game,” van Grinsven admitted.
On Sunday it was obvious to everyone in the Hagan Arena, van Grinsven and the Hawks were determined to write a different script to this game.
With her father watching her in the stands for the first time, van Grinsven scored the first six points of the game as the Hawks raced to a 10-2 lead and held on to defeat Dayton in Atlantic 10 conference semi-final action, 61-54.
The opening tip was controlled by the Hawks and Van Grinsven got the scoring started with the 15 footer from the top of the key for 2-0 lead.
After an Andrea Hoover miss, Ashley Prim found the Helmond, Netherlands native along the baseline for another jumper and a 4-0 lead.
A Dayton turnover led to Erin Shields feathering a bounce pass to 6’3” forward for the easy two and a 6-0 lead.
“She got in foul trouble early in our place and our coaching staff was talking about the fact that she was going to come out really strong today and she did,” Coach Jim Jabir admitted. “We didn’t have an answer for her. She played with a lot of passion, played with a lot of motivation and attacked us constantly.”
With the jumper working early, Dayton post players were forced to take away the jumper and the redshirt senior quickly countered.
At the top of the key, with Dayton defense extended, van Grinsven found a cutting Ilize Gotfrida on a high-low pass for the short jumper, 19-12.
Back to back jumpers by van Grinsven extended St. Joe’s lead to 23-14.
Again Dayton’s defense stepped out to take away the jumper and the 6’3” forward found Mireia Vila on a backdoor cut for the easy lay-up and a 25-14 lead.
“Good players make plays when they need to make plays,” Coach Cindy Griffin explained. “Their chin is up, their head is up when there is pressure on them, they are able to see the floor and Chat made some great assists there in the first. She was very composed and very under control. Great players step up in big games and she is great player.”
At the end of the first stanza van Grinsven finished with 13 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks.
The second half started the way the first ended. The redshirt senior finding a cutting Ashley Prim for the easy lay-up, 37-24.
After a Dayton basket, van Grinsven responded with a lay-up to give St. Joseph’s a 42-32 lead with 16:58 left to play.
Dayton would not go away quietly and when van Grinsven picked up her third foul at the 16:09 mark, the Flyers made their move.
With the redshirt senior on the bench, a jumper by Samantha MacKay pulled the Flyers with 8, 42-34.
Olivia Applewhite drilled a jumper on the next possession and Dayton was within six, 42-36.
With van Grinsven on the bench and the Hawks needing a lift, the bench was more than happy to pitch in. Gotfrida connected for back to back baskets to give St. Joe’s a 48-40 lead.
A three pointer by MacKay brought Dayton within 5, 50-45.
A fifteen footer by Hoover brought the Flyers within one, 52-51.
van Grinsven having returned to the game, responded with a jumper of her own to push the St. Joseph’s lead back to three, 54-51.
On the next possession, Dayton would turn over the ball and junior guard, Erin Shields would ice it for the Hawks with a pair of free throws.
Chatilla van Grinsven finished with a game high 19 points. Erin Shields contributed 12 point and Ilze Gotfrida chipped in 10 points. Prim had 8 points and 13 rebounds.
St. Joseph’s out rebounded Dayton 42-32. It was just the fourth time all season that the Flyers had been out rebounded in a game.
The fourth seed Hawks will now play third ranked Fordham for the A-10 title on Saturday, March 16 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. Game time is set for 7 pm and the game will be televised on ESPNU.
Aaron Smith can be reached at @PicknSplinters
Leave a Reply