Penn gave Nova all it could handle tonight, and it took a second half Wonder Women act from Laura Sweeney to put away the Quakers 48-44.
The game started sloppy, but Nova put up some good defensive pressure and got out to a 16-8 lead on a Sweeney layup at the 9:50 mark and it looked like we were off to a solid win. Things went down hill for Nova after that. Nova failed to score over the next five minutes, allowing Penn to tie the score at 16 all. Devon Kane then hit a short jumper to get us back out in front at 18-16, but we then went another 4 and a half minutes without scoring, falling behind 23-18 with only 37 seconds left in the half. Taylor Holeman then hit a huge three from the corner to get us back to 23-21 at the half. Things would have looked pretty bleak if she missed and Penn had been able to score at the other end before the break.
The epic struggle continued to start the second half with Penn running off the first six points, driving the ball into the lane each time, staking us to a 29-21 deficit. At that point Penn had outscored us by 21-5 over a 12 minute span during which we only scored two baskets.
Then it was time for the Sweeney show to begin. A short shot, a foul shot (putting their starting center on the bench with 3 fouls), followed by an assist on a layup by Holeman, and then a layup on a feed from Megan Pearson. Seven points in a span of 2:15 brought us back to within 1 with 15:30 on the clock. After a three ball by Penn, we had a Sweeney layup, a Sweeney free throw, a Kane three, and Sweeney layup, jumper and free throw, interrupted by a Holeman jumper, followed by another Sweeney layup and then a big Kane three pointer. After all that we had a 46-40 lead with 4:30 to play.
After a couple of missed shots at both ends, Penn pulled within 4 with a foul shot with 2:57 left on the clock. From there it was a pretty amazing display of keep-away by Nova. Caroline Coyer missed a three ball 28 seconds into the shot clock but Pearson rebounded the ball, then Pearson missed a lane shot with 2 seconds on the shot clock and we got a deadball rebound. Kane then missed her shot with 2 seconds left on the shot clock and Sweeney got the offensive board with 53 seconds left, but was called for an elbow after being double teamed. Nova had possession of the ball for more than two full minutes during that incredible stretch. Penn worked a play to get a layup with 27 seconds left. Penn then took a foul that they had to give, but could not foul again until there was only 7 seconds left, putting Kane on the line for two. No problem, she made both and Penn never got another shot away.
Good Stuff - a W even though we did not play very well. Sweeney - 19 points (15 in second half) on 8 of 12 shooting with only one miss from inside the three line, 8 boards, 3 assists, 2 steals, pretty much single-handedly won the game. Taylor Holeman seemingly improving with every game, 24 minutes, 9 points on 4 of 5 shooting, 6 boards, great defense. Kane nailing the pressure foul shots. Undefeated Big Five champs for the second year in a row! 14-2 overall record!
Not very pretty stuff - being outplayed by Penn for long stretches, inability to connect on many threes (5 of 20), missed foul shots (7 for 12). Seven turnovers in the first half put us in a hole (10 total for the game). Just an ugly win.
Added link to Mel Greenberg game summary 1-17-13.
This post was edited on 1/17 8:29 PM by tpenter
PhilaHoopsW game summary
The game started sloppy, but Nova put up some good defensive pressure and got out to a 16-8 lead on a Sweeney layup at the 9:50 mark and it looked like we were off to a solid win. Things went down hill for Nova after that. Nova failed to score over the next five minutes, allowing Penn to tie the score at 16 all. Devon Kane then hit a short jumper to get us back out in front at 18-16, but we then went another 4 and a half minutes without scoring, falling behind 23-18 with only 37 seconds left in the half. Taylor Holeman then hit a huge three from the corner to get us back to 23-21 at the half. Things would have looked pretty bleak if she missed and Penn had been able to score at the other end before the break.
The epic struggle continued to start the second half with Penn running off the first six points, driving the ball into the lane each time, staking us to a 29-21 deficit. At that point Penn had outscored us by 21-5 over a 12 minute span during which we only scored two baskets.
Then it was time for the Sweeney show to begin. A short shot, a foul shot (putting their starting center on the bench with 3 fouls), followed by an assist on a layup by Holeman, and then a layup on a feed from Megan Pearson. Seven points in a span of 2:15 brought us back to within 1 with 15:30 on the clock. After a three ball by Penn, we had a Sweeney layup, a Sweeney free throw, a Kane three, and Sweeney layup, jumper and free throw, interrupted by a Holeman jumper, followed by another Sweeney layup and then a big Kane three pointer. After all that we had a 46-40 lead with 4:30 to play.
After a couple of missed shots at both ends, Penn pulled within 4 with a foul shot with 2:57 left on the clock. From there it was a pretty amazing display of keep-away by Nova. Caroline Coyer missed a three ball 28 seconds into the shot clock but Pearson rebounded the ball, then Pearson missed a lane shot with 2 seconds on the shot clock and we got a deadball rebound. Kane then missed her shot with 2 seconds left on the shot clock and Sweeney got the offensive board with 53 seconds left, but was called for an elbow after being double teamed. Nova had possession of the ball for more than two full minutes during that incredible stretch. Penn worked a play to get a layup with 27 seconds left. Penn then took a foul that they had to give, but could not foul again until there was only 7 seconds left, putting Kane on the line for two. No problem, she made both and Penn never got another shot away.
Good Stuff - a W even though we did not play very well. Sweeney - 19 points (15 in second half) on 8 of 12 shooting with only one miss from inside the three line, 8 boards, 3 assists, 2 steals, pretty much single-handedly won the game. Taylor Holeman seemingly improving with every game, 24 minutes, 9 points on 4 of 5 shooting, 6 boards, great defense. Kane nailing the pressure foul shots. Undefeated Big Five champs for the second year in a row! 14-2 overall record!
Not very pretty stuff - being outplayed by Penn for long stretches, inability to connect on many threes (5 of 20), missed foul shots (7 for 12). Seven turnovers in the first half put us in a hole (10 total for the game). Just an ugly win.
Added link to Mel Greenberg game summary 1-17-13.
This post was edited on 1/17 8:29 PM by tpenter
PhilaHoopsW game summary