By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Trailing midway through the third quarter, the Fairport girls’ basketball team closed the game on a 26-6 run, and the Red Raiders defeated Our Lady of Mercy, 56-46.
Fairport held Mercy to two made field goals over the final 13 minutes of the contest.
“It was just about picking up and pressuring more,” Fairport head coach Patrick Muldowney said.
Coming out of a timeout facing a six-point deficit, Ella Meabon scored in transition, and Bella Pucci connected from behind the 3-point arc to make it a one-possession game at 41-39.
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A Riley DeRue steal and layup pulled Fairport within one before Meabon closed the third quarter with a 3-pointer.
Fairport had a lead it did not surrender at 44-42.
Ella Meabon gives @FCSDSports a 44-42 lead heading to the fourth. pic.twitter.com/RTgGHyDRvQ
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 19, 2022
“I felt like we came out flat defensively,” Muldowney said of his squad’s performance to start the game. “We finally kinda clicked during that timeout. We were starting to roll offensively. That was the perfect time to say ‘we’ve cut into the lead. Let’s lock it down and let’s go.’”
Fairport held Mercy scoreless through the first eight possessions of the fourth quarter, a stretch in which the Red Raiders forced four straight turnovers.
Muldowney credited Amiya Johnson with a spark on the defensive end.
“She played perfect defense,” he said. “It started there and everybody else was able to be more aggressive off the ball because we were defending correctly on the ball.
“Early in the game, we were getting blown by. We were kinda out of control on our close-outs. They’d get into our help and they’d make a nice pass. We were getting carved up a little bit.
“Then we got good on-ball pressure, and everybody else was able to follow the lead.”
Riley DeRue pushes the @FCSDSports lead to double digits at 55-44. pic.twitter.com/6WmBw5npdt
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 19, 2022
DeRue paced the Fairport offense with 16 points. The senior forward also grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds to go with four steals and three blocks. Pucci handed out four assists and connected twice from behind the 3-point arc for 16 points. Ne’Vaeh Buntley and Meabon added 13 apiece. Meabon corralled 10 rebounds.
Bella Pucci connects from the left wing. @FCSDSports is within 2 at 41-39. pic.twitter.com/IjHbvlIKuV
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 19, 2022
“Ella didn’t have her usual game offensively,” Muldowney said of the junior who was held to two points through 18 minutes of the game. “She channeled that frustration well in the last quarter and a half. She put it into her defense.”
Pucci opened the final stanza with a blocked shot that set the tone.
“That was one of the more athletic blocks I think I’ve ever seen,” Muldowney said.
The win was the fourth in the past five for Fairport (9-4) ranked No. 26 NYSSWA Class AA.
Mercy fell to 7-6 with the loss.
Libby McDonough hit three 3-pointers to pace the Monarchs’ offense with 15 points. Audrey Hintz added 13. Both grabbed seven rebounds apiece. Karli Harnischfeger scored eight points while collecting three assists, three steals and three rebounds.
Libby McDonough starts the third-quarter scoring with her third 3 of the night. pic.twitter.com/7bE2rjFaeL
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 19, 2022
Sophie Dearcop grabbed 10 rebounds. Natalie Casale (6), Lucy Cotrupe (2) and Maddie Fitzgerald (2) rounded out the scoring for Mercy.
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