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By TIM IRVING
Brockport girls’ basketball found themselves trailing nearly the entire game in the Championship of their Katie Sweeting Memorial Tournament to Brighton.
That’s when seniors need to step up and the Blue Devils have only two but that’s all they needed.
Ella Fadale hit two free throws in the final 21 seconds as the Blue Devils rallied from as many as 14 points down to top the Bruins, 55-53.
Brighton got off to an impressive start behind sophomore Sadie Scott, who scored seven points in each of the first two quarters as she and the Bruins’ lone senior, Kiki Anglin, dominated on the offensive boards in the first half.
Fadale scored 13 of her team’s 22 first half points and the Blue Devils trailed by 12 at the half.
“We switched up our defense coming out of the half and we had opportunities to go steal, “ said Fadale.
Brockport out-scored Brighton 15-9 in the third quarter, highlighted by steals from the seniors, Fadale and Emma Sodoma, that cut the lead to six going into the fourth quarter.
“Once we got those steals, we had all the momentum, “ Fadale said.
Fadale hit a three-pointer to open the third but the Bruins kept pace. Anglin knocked down a three as well to keep the lead at six.
Up stepped Maeve Petitti. The Brockport sophomore hit two big three-pointers and Brighton’s lead got down to two points with two minutes left.
Next trip for the Blue Devils, Fadale hit a 20-footer for three and Brockport took their first lead, 53-52.
With 53.4 second left, Scott was fouled and hit the second of two to tie the game.
The Bruins tightened the defense but Fadale was fouled with 20.8 seconds left and hit the first of two free throws.
Brighton put the ball in Anglin’s hands but a driving lay up rolled off the rim and Fadale was fouled on the rebound, hitting one of two with 10 seconds left.
Brighton worked the ball up court and Katie Hardie got off a three-pointer from the corner that bounced back to her and the jumper at the buzzer bounced off the rim a couple of times before falling off.
“We’re a young team, we’ve six sophomores and a freshman and the girls are learning every game, “ first-year coach Tom Velletri said.
Fadale earned MVP honors with 30 points. Petitti (11) and Sodoma (8) scored 15 of their combined 19 points in the second half.
“We have a good history of winning this tournament and we knew coming out 2-0, it’s a good run for us, “ Fadale said.
Scott, Anglin and Sodoma also earned All-Tournament honors.
Spencerport edged Eastridge in the consolation game, 50-47.
SCORING:
Brighton
Kiki Anglin 11, Lucy Lederman 3, Kaiya Larkins 9, Avery Hopkin 4, Olivia Rush 6, Sadie Scott 17, Katie Hardie 3.
Brockport
Emma Sodoma 8, Maeve Petitti 11, Ella Fadale 30, Ava Watt 3, Ariana Guerrero 3.
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