By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Chanel Alexander and Sophia Hartman combined to score 50 points, and the No. 5 seed Aquinas girls’ basketball team erased an early deficit to defeat No. 4 East High, 66-61 in Section V Class A quarter-final action, Monday.
Alexander poured in a game-high 30 points to go with seven steals, six rebounds and five assists.
The senior guard scored 12 points in the second quarter when the Li’l Irish rallied from seven down to take a three-point lead into halftime.
“When she’s going and we’re dialed in defensively, we’re tough,” Aquinas head coach Mark Loria said.
Aquinas forced seven turnovers during the stanza and converted those miscues into eight points.
Trailing 22-15, Hartman scored in the lane. Then Alexander got ahead of the defense for two more points. Hartman converted a steal and layup to make it a one-possession game at 24-21.
Alexander gave Aquinas its first lead of the game at 29-28 when 5-foot-3 guard stepped in a passing lane for a steal and then finished at the other end of the floor. Two possessions later, she grabbed a loose ball and slipped into the open court for another bucket.
Chanel Alexander grabs the loose ball and goes the length of the floor for two. AQ on an 8-2 run leads 31-28. pic.twitter.com/Lx3IF3ran0
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 8, 2021
Aquinas had a lead it did not surrender.
Loria pointed to the impact of junior center Amaris Watts.
“When she gets into foul trouble, that’s where we start to run into some issues,” Loria noted. “She was foul-free tonight. She’s long and athletic. She disrupts everything in the paint. That allows us to play with a little bit more pressure up top and Chanel can anticipate passes.”
Hartman accounted for nine points in the third quarter when Aquinas outscored East, 13-8 to pull away.
The junior guard/forward opened the scoring in the second half with an assist from Alexander and then had the final seven points heading into the fourth quarter.
Sophia Hartman gets the second half scoring started. Aquinas 35-30. pic.twitter.com/K1lkjBwweZ
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 8, 2021
Hartman gave AQ its first double-digit lead of the game midway through the fourth when she grabbed a defensive rebound and went the length of the floor for an and-one.
Aquinas was in command at 56-45.
Hartman finished with 16 rebounds, four steals and three assists.
Sophia Hartman gets the follow and Aquinas leads 42-33 with 2:15 remaining in the 3rd. pic.twitter.com/APmDflUJxW
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 8, 2021
“She’s a kid that I can count on,” Loria said. “She’s tough. She brings it every single night, and tonight was a special night for her. I’m really happy for her.”
Alexander scored the final six points of the game for Aquinas.
“I truly believe she’s a top-three player in Section V,” said Loria of Alexander who will attend St. Bonaventure University of a soccer scholarship in the fall.
Diamond Pickett scored six of her team-high 29 points in the opening three minutes of the game to help East grab an 8-0 lead.
In the second quarter, Pickett scored back-to-back baskets on catches at the foul line where the senior forward drove the lane for a layup. Her second was an and-one for a 22-15 lead.
Another and-one from Diamond Pickett. East 22-15. pic.twitter.com/p2aOYf6cUv
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 8, 2021
Aquinas countered East’s offense by doubling perimeter players and making it difficult to complete entry passes to the 5-foot-10 Pickett.
“I was concerned with their length and Pickett; she’s a fantastic player,” Loria said. “We were just doing our best to help on her. You pick and choose your battles. It worked. I’m happy we can move on.”
Shariona Blocker scored 15 for East (7-5). Jaylen Giles added seven. Imani Oliver had five points.
Shariona Blocker feeds Diamond Pickett on the 2v1, but East trails Aquinas at the half 33-30. Pickett leads all scorers with 19. AQ’s Chanel Alexander has 16. pic.twitter.com/lVad7a0pMl
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 8, 2021
Watts collected 12 rebounds and seven points for Aquinas. Lydia Kaplun contributed four points and two assists. Abigail Pfluke scored three points. Isabella Testa accounted for four rebounds, two points and one steal.
Aquinas moves on to play top-seeded and four-time defending champion Pittsford Mendon in Wednesday’s semi-finals.
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