By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — With a little less than four minutes remaining in Wednesday’s championship game of the 2021 Gates-Chili Girls’ Basketball Tournament, the host Spartans had cut a 16-point Brockport lead to six. A rebound of a missed free throw gave Gates the ball with a chance to inch even closer.
A narrower margin never materialized.
The source of Brockport’s late-game surge should come as no surprise.
Tournament MVP Ella Fadale scored nine of her game-high 35 points during a closing 12-5 run as the Blue Devils (6-2) won their second straight and third in four outings, with a 59-46 victory.
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“When they have all that momentum and they’re getting all hyped up, you just got to be the leader and try to calm everything down,” said Fadale who connected twice from the four and converted 4-of-6 free throw opportunities in the final 3:19 . “Play the game, relax and move the ball. You’ll get your opportunities.”
Her sixth 3-pointer of the game and fourth of the second-half gave Brockport a double-digit lead at 53-41.
“Once you feel like you’re getting hot, everything just feels like it keeps falling for you. That’s what happened and helped our team to the win.”
The senior guard, though, sparked the clinching rally with her defense and playmaking.
After swiping a pass intended for Paris Anthony, Fadale drew a trio of defenders before dishing off to teammate Ava Velletri for an and-one.
Steal Ella Fadale to Ava Velletri for the and-one. @Bportgirlbball 53-41. pic.twitter.com/DsxXPNoHKc
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 29, 2021
“Paris is a phenomenal player,” Fadale said the Spartans’ guard who recently scored her 1,000th career point. “I knew that they’d try to look to get her the ball. I saw the ball come over top. I had the chance to steal it.
“Ava was wide open. We’ve been playing together for years. We have great chemistry. I saw her out of the corner of my eye. Finishing that was a huge play.”
That Fadale made the right play was exactly what head coach Tom Velletri expected.
“She’s so smart,” he said. “Her basketball IQ is very high. She knows the game inside and out. That helps a lot. That comes from playing. She’s a smart girl in school, too.”
Paris Anthony in the lane from Dani Mayer opens the fourth-quarter scoring. @LSpartanshoops pic.twitter.com/Vm49uDzHgK
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 29, 2021
Fadale scored 15 points in the third quarter. Her third triple of the frame made it a 47-21 game.
“She has natural abilities, natural instincts that just take over,” Velletri added. “When you have someone like that, it definitely helps out when you’re coaching.”
Back-to-back triples from Ella Fadale pic.twitter.com/5kKIKi4DVJ
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 29, 2021
Ava Velletri, who joined Fadale on the All-Tournament team, hit two 3-pointers and finished with 11 points. Emma Sodoma added seven. Maeve Pettiti scored three and Kiera Wilson had two points.
That’s our captain! Way to go Emily! ⚽️❤️🏀 https://t.co/AfSBHA0ule
— Gates Chili Girls Varsity Soccer (@GCGirlsVSoccer) December 29, 2021
Anthony, who was also named to the All-Tournament team, led Gates with 20 points. India Williams had 11 and Emily McManus scored 10 points. Sariah Tindal (3) and Dani Mayer (2) rounded out the scoring for Gates.
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