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Momentum makes a mighty fine gift for delirious basketball fans, especially ones who want an upset. Just as supporters of Archbishop Wood High School sensed their Vikings could vault past Ss. Neumann-Goretti High School, 1736 S. 10th St., at The Palestra Monday night, Sianni Martin, determined to deny their wishes, converted what proved to be the game-deciding three-point play, guiding the Saints to a 50-45 win that secured their second-straight Catholic League championship.
“We’ve grown so much as a team and as a family,” the senior guard said of the nation’s top-ranked girls’ squad. “Give us a challenge, and we’re going to give you our best to push it aside. That’s what happened tonight.”
The All-Catholic selection saw her East Passyunk Crossing-based unit extend its record to 24-0 ahead of Saturday’s 2 p.m. City title tilt versus Imhotep Charter at South Philadelphia High School, 2101 S. Broad St. Accustomed to crushing clubs, the Saints registered their slimmest triumph of what has become a captivating campaign.
“This is a special group of young women,” first-year coach Andrea Peterson said. “I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to see them mature and realize their dreams of being the best.”
Though an unblemished mark and multiple college commitments have generated joy among the roster members, their season has also featured controversy, as allegations of recruiting and using ineligible players, claims that have become part of a libel-slander lawsuit by former coach and South Philly Review Difference Maker Letty Santarelli, have sought to cause distractions. The championship game, incidentally, paired the Saints against foes whose now ex-coach, John Gallagher, earlier this winter supposedly questioned the eligibility of senior forward Christina Aborowa, a University of Texas recruit.
“That didn’t matter,” Martin said of again facing the Warminster-based bunch whom she and her mates defeated in last year’s title contest and throttled 59-33 on the road Jan. 16. “We just had to do our jobs, and we did. That proves our maturity.”
A well-played opening quarter found the favorites crafting a 16-15 edge, with All-Catholic selection Ciani Cryor, a senior guard bound for Georgia Tech, depositing nine points. Having proven all season that they have multiple weapons capable of carrying out commendable executions of game plans, the Saints placed five players in the second-quarter scoring column, highlighted by super substitute Kamiah Smalls’ two corner three-pointers. Wood standout Bailey Greenberg, on her way to a game-high 24 points, kept confounding the Saints’ defensive schemes, but her colleagues would not complement her deeds, and they reached the break down 31-20.
“I told these ladies that they’ve been playing basketball for most of their lives,” Peterson said. “Because of that, no matter the situation, I wanted them to see this as another game and have fun. Just like they’ve done all year, they listened and are celebrating what can happen when everyone believes in each other.”
The third frame proved similar to the opening quarter, with Neumann-Goretti’s agility loving the opportunity to contend with Wood’s tenacity. Greenberg again showed what led to her All-Catholic designation in helping her team to ensure that onlookers would not witness a blowout. Devastating displays of talent have yielded many mismatches for the Saints, including Feb. 12’s 73-19 home playoff opener annihilation of St. Hubert’s as the most recent example. Heading for a 12-point night, the top effort from either bench, Smalls scored a bucket at the buzzer to give the Saints a 41-35 lead entering the fourth.
“We practice all sorts of scenarios, so we didn’t feel we needed to panic,” Peterson said of holding the two-score edge. “Again, it was all about having fun and knowing how to execute.”
The Saints struggled to distance themselves from the opposition and with 4:50 remaining, Wood dwindled the deficit to a deuce. While she later claimed that defense won the game for the unconquered locals, Martin might need to concede that her offensive guile gifted her squad the victory. Fancy dribbling and passing helped them to drain 83 seconds off the clock, with the Towson University signee venturing to the rim for a much-praised basket. Draining the accompanying free throw, she sought to be a stopper and thwart any waning-seconds plans for overtime or even a monumental regulation celebration for Wood. The Saints missed a one-and-one, giving the Vikings a chance when down 48-45, but excellent defense on a corner three-ball cemented the result, with Smalls ending the scoring as the clock expired.
“We’ve become a whole team,” senior guard A.J. Timbers, another All-Catholic, who will join Martin at Towson, said. “We weren’t scared when they came back because we knew we had to execute and stay together. Going forward, we’ll have to repeat that because we have bigger things to accomplish.”
Along with looking to defend their City championship, Timbers, who tallied four points, and her peers will try to triumph in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament (the official brackets are scheduled to be released this weekend), having fallen in last year’s final, their only blemish on their way to a 29-1 slate.
“We definitely have unfinished business,” Martin said in recalling the setback. “This is my family and we’re in this together. That’s what I’ve loved most about being a Saint, realizing that we’re one.” SPR
Contact Managing Editor Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124. Comment at southphillyreview.com/sports/features.
Neumann-Goretti senior guards A.J. Timbers and Sianni Martin tallied 15 points in the victory. The All-Catholic honorees and their teammates will chase another championship at South Philadelphia High School Saturday.
Photos by Rob Torney
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