By STEVE BRADLEY
WEBSTER, N.Y. – Supporters of the Aquinas girls basketball team have been wearing custom-made T-shirts to games this season. The front of the shirts feature the words “Revenge Tour” while the back lists the 2023-24 regular-season schedule.
A dominant defense and the sharp shooting of freshman Loren Green and junior Molly O’Toole on Tuesday night made sure the tour would be extended as the sixth-seeded Li’l Irish rolled past No. 2 Palmyra-Macedon 59-33 in a Section V Class A semifinal game played at Webster Schroeder.
Green scored 25 points and O’Toole netted 19 as Aquinas (18-5) advanced to Saturday’s 5 p.m. final against top-seeded Pittsford Sutherland, a 56-43 winner over No. 5 Newark in the other semifinal.
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“We are tough to stop when we are together,” O’Toole said.
The third quarter was a prime example as O’Toole scored eight points and Green connected for six, both on three-pointers, as Aquinas turned its 24-15 halftime lead into a 38-22 advantage entering the fourth quarter. Green made four threes in the game and O’Toole finished with three.
“That’s not an accident,” Aquinas coach Mark Loria said. “We shoot 100 to 150 of those shots a night in practice, so that’s an emphasis for us along with driving the basketball. We look to create a three-dimensional player who can shoot, drive and, obviously, play defense.”
Aquinas forced numerous turnovers and used a team-rebounding concept to try to limit senior Marianna Hodgins, who led Pal-Mac with 18 points, on the boards. Junior center Samiyah Wright, freshman Jade Harvey and sophomore Julionna Nkugwa led AQ’s rebounding effort.
“Our defense was unbelievable tonight, that’s what we stressed leading up into this game,” Loria said. “We thought that our length, our athleticism and our speed was something that if you haven’t experienced yet, you are going to experience it, and that was the difference tonight.”
Along with AQ’s ability to close out the game.
Pal-Mac used an 8-2 run to pull within 43-30 with 5:25 to play before sophomore Ajaya Orr, who finished with nine points, went on a personal 7-0 run during a 34-second span to give the Irish a 20-point lead with 3:19 to play.
Aquinas, which does not have a senior on its roster, was tested throughout the season by playing the likes of Fairport, Penfield, Victor, Bishop Kearney, Hornell and Saturday’s opponent, Pittsford Sutherland.
“That prepared us a lot because we knew what to expect in sectionals because we played tougher teams,” said Green, who is in her third varsity season.
Aquinas defeated Sutherland 53-49 on Feb. 8 behind 17 points from Orr.
“This group has a story to tell and in the last three years there’s been chapters and in those chapters there’s been a lot of highs and there’s been some really, really lows,” Loria said. “These girls have clung together, stayed together, persevered, moved through it and it’s brought them to this moment. I am so happy for them.”
Julia Belanger added six points for Pal-Mac, whose only losses prior to Tuesday were to Hornell.
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