Press Release: Both Boys and Girls Basketball Teams Advance to NEPSAC Semifinals

3/4/2010
The Holderness girls basketball team rode a first-half scoring spree from Marissa Pendergast '10 and a second-half scoring spree from Gina  Ogirri '10 to defeat fifth-seeded Kimball Union Academy yesterday in the quarterfinals of the NEPSAC Class C championship tournament.

Holderness led for most of the game but was never able to open up a big lead against a taller KUA team that had split two games with them in the regular season. Marissa carried the offensive load in the first half with an assortment of slashing drives to the basket and three-point bombs.

In the second half KUA reversed the momentum of the game with a series of presses and a half-court defense geared to denying shots from Marissa. But every time KUA threatened to take the lead, Gina responded with a mid-range jumper that stopped the bleeding.

Holderness employed a box-and-one defense at their end. Lizz Hale '11 played all game in the face of KUA's Greydy Diaz and held the All-Star guard to just seven points.

The final score was 54-42, with Marissa and Gina each netting 22 points.

The boys' NEPSAC quarterfinal game was against fifth-seeded Milton Academy, a team that arrived with a 16-5 record against ISL opponents. This was a see-saw affair with a lot of lead changes until Alex Francis '10 broke the game open with a thunderous dunk with three minutes left.

Through most of the game, it was MA's accurate outside shooting against Holderness's shot-blocking and low-post scoring. Imoh Silas '11 re-directed a number of MA shots up into the rafters, while Gabas Maldunas '11 scored with silky moves under the basket and the occasional three-pointer. Season high-scorer Alex, meanwhile, was held in check by double- and triple-teams every time he touched the ball.

Finally a tip-in by Alex broke a 38-38 tie midway through the second half. A three-pointer by Gabas provided a 47-41 lead with five minutes left. Then relentless defensive pressure by point guard Manny Smith '10 produced the turnovers that fuel Alex's open-court transition game. His dunk with three minutes left gave Holderness an insurmountable 13-point lead.

The final score was 63-47. Gabas was the game high-scorer with 30 points. Alex scored all his 20 points in the second half, and Imoh chipped in 10.