By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Allie Hall led three in double figures with 20 points, and Bishop Kearney defeated Aquinas, 58-44 in Private-Parochial League action, Thursday night.
Hall scored 13 in the first half when Kearney built a 10-point lead heading into the break.
“She was great,” said Kearney head coach Kevan Sheppard. “We thought we had a mismatch down low.”
Hall connected six times from the floor over the opening 16 minutes of action.
“They’re super guard-laden,” Sheppard said of Aquinas. “They got really talented guards. Their bigs are young. They’re going to be good, but they’re young right now and right now we have a veteran down low. We thought if we could take advantage of dropping it down low and having our guards get in the paint, it could go our way.”
Klarissa Goode and Asia Wilson dictated tempo for Kearney.
“We want to control the pace,” Sheppard said. “They’re extremely talented, but we got a lot of miles on this side. They’re going to get there. We knew that we needed to make them play at our pace. We need to make anybody play at our pace. We don’t want to slow the game down. We want to make the other team take as many timeouts as possible.”
Goode scored 15 points in the win. Wilson accounted for 18 including nine to close the second quarter when the junior guard connected on a 3-pointer then converted on a pair of and-one opportunities.
The win was the third in the past four games for Kearney (4-3) which will play reigning Class B2 champion Hornell next Tuesday before heading out of town for a tournament.
“We just try to find the toughest opponent possible, and that’s what’s going to prepare us for the postseason. As many tight games, as many talented teams we can run up against. Section V is loaded. When sectionals get here, there won’t be any off nights.”
Asia Wilson finds Allie Hall for 2. Kearney 21-14. pic.twitter.com/zT4YmlOC3a
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 4, 2024
Asia Wilson, off the turnover, goes the length of the floor. Carlé Thomas answers at the other end with an and-one. pic.twitter.com/YoTpP4mT4i
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 5, 2024
Klarissa Goode gets in the lane for an and-one. Kearney 50-33. pic.twitter.com/7t2WYSdz4Q
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 5, 2024
Adriana Kennedy added three points while Tallan McCullough and Madison Simmons scored one apiece for Kearney.
The win was No. 300 in Sheppard’s career.
Molly O’Toole led Aquinas (5-2) with 13 points. The junior guard had five points during a 9-5 run midway through the second quarter when the Li’l Irish made it a one-possession game at 24-21.
Loren Green and AJ Orr scored nine apiece while Jade Harvey added six. Carlé Thomas (4) and Lia Bronco (3) rounded out the scoring for Aquinas.
The Li’l Irish travel to play Sacred Heart (Monsignor Martin Athletic Association) on Saturday.
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