St John's v Creighton

What a game! Not what I expected at all until the final play.

It was a game of runs with each team countering the other. St John's led most of the way but usually by only a few points, couldn't get separation and Creighton just kept running motion, taking open shots, hanging in there and coming back when they needed it most. Very exciting and extremely well coached by both sides. When you have both teams making runs at one another it's usually matchups but sometimes it's just good recognition on the part of the coaches and the players responding to the shifts in strategy.

Creighton hit 7 threes with a bunch coming in the first part of the second half on what seemed like every possession. Nelson got behind the St John's defense a few times early on as well. Creighton's trapping press was also way more effective in slowing down the Red Storm than I thought it would be. St John's was patient, which I didn't expect... just figured Nadirah would rip through it. She definitely did control the game, 23 pts,  but was more in control and deliberate than usual. No coincidence it ended up being her game to win.


The last 7 or 8 minutes they went back and forth like prize fighters. Both teams made several great defensive stops. Keylantra Langley hit four freethrows. Da'Nae Moore hits a layup, but then, with under a minute left, Langly nails Moore with an elbow at midcourt trying to break a trap. Kim was calling for a timeout at the same time but they either didn't see her or didn't grant it before the foul. Creighton got the freethows as well as possession.  Danae Moore ties it at 65 hitting both, Tritz travels, Da'shena then hit two freethrows of her own with 19 secs left to put St Johns up by two. Tritz gets fouled going strong to the basket and then ties it from the line with 5 left for Creighton setting up the possibilty of overtime or even an improbable Creighton upset. With just 5 secs remaining, Nadirah, finally using her speed blazes coast to coast off the inbounds, absolutely flys down the left side eluding defenders, cuts left to right plants, leaps through the air across the middle lane and lets fly, a high arching floater just over Sarah Nelson's fingertips then crashes to the floor with one tenth of a second left. All net. CRAZY!


St John's bench went crazy. Replay of the Blue Jay's bench shows Carrie on one knee watching and then the whole bench just kind of breathes all at once and then lets all the air out. Unbelievable season for the Jay's, fantastic well fought game. Young bunch, they'll be back.


A lot of fun watching Carrie on the sideline for Creighton throughout the game! A lot of fun watching the coaches for both sides. Smart bunch. Saw Laura on the St Johns sideline. Knowing so many of the St Johns players makes for a lot of fun as well. GraceAnne and I were both glued to the TV for the entire game... very exciting!





Grace has a game against Garden City Kelly tonight in the semifinals of the Island Garden Super League playoffs. The girls had a great practice on Sunday morning. Hopefully they will come out with a lot of energy and come away with a win. This is the second meeting of these teams in this short season but we saw them twice last year as well. Very physical, well balanced team. Should be a very competitive game.


Went to the Hofstra game last Thursday. First round of the NIT Tournament and they went down to Harvard. Harvard played pretty well but it seemed like the Pride never really got going. Pride looked like the more athletic and the more skilled team but shot just 36% and it didn't seem like the Harvard defense was responsible for the poor shooting. 


Weird thing down the stretch, 46 seconds left Hofstra down 3 with the ball, Stevesky calls timeout. What would you run? Me? 2 possessions to their one. Quick hitter for a two so we get the ball back down one if we make the defensive stop. Instead, off the mid-court inbound they hit Nicole behind the arc, no screen (missed assignment?), the three gets blocked for a turnover still more than 30 left and Hofstra starts fouling. I don't get it.

And, as long as I'm playing coach, Harvard had NO ANSWER for Marie Malone and Shante Evans inside. Marie had 8 pts 6 rebounds ALL IN THE FIRST HALF. Yes, Hofstra missed a ton of layups and Marie made a few defensive mistakes but Harvard's offensive rebounding KILLED Hofstra down the stretch while Marie sat. Strange game. Tough way for the seniors, Malone, Belloccio and Capurso, to go out.


Princeton lost to K-State in their first round game. Very competitive game, Niveen and Devona both played very well.