Winning the end game

Penns Grove holds up best down the stretch, edges Pennsville for a shot at the Tri-County B Flight championship

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – As the games increase in importance and intensity the deeper teams go in the season, it’s more important than ever they learn to handle their end-game business.

The Penns Grove girls did that the best Wednesday, winning the final two minutes of the game, and it earned them a 41-38 victory over Pennsville in the Tri-County Tournament B Flight semifinals.

The eighth-seeded Red Devils (13-8) now travel to second-seeded Glassboro for the B Flight championship presumably Friday, while Pennsville (12-13) will host Pitman in the third-place game Thursday at 4 p.m.

The game was tight throughout with neither team leading  by more than five points in the second half or by more than two for most of the fourth quarter. The lead changed hands on four straight possessions in the fourth until the Red Devils pulled away at the end.

Nora Ausland’s 3-pointer with 2:03 to play gave Pennsville a 36-35 lead, but it would be the last time the Eagles would lead in the game. Penns Grove scored the next six points – four from the free throw line – to seize the win.

“They did come through on that part,” Penns Grove coach Jennifer Denby said. “That last minute or so, clutch time, is showing them they can play. It should be giving them confidence at this time for the playoffs.”

The game was played under a heavy security presence in an effort to deter a repeat of last week’s game between the teams when the gym was cleared in the third quarter due to the unruliness of some fans. There were at least five Pennsville police officers in the gym, Penns Grove security personnel stationed at each end of the Red Devils’ bench and the athletics directors from both schools on hand. Five individuals reportedly were barred from attending the rematch.

The game went off without incident, even when things were at their most intense on the floor.

Brianna Robbins’ layup with 1:36 left put Penns Grove up for good 37-36. Pennsville traveled on the next possession and moments later had their calming influence Marley Wood foul out. RaNiyah Wilson missed a layup that would have extended the Red Devils’ lead, but the Eagles’ clearing pass went right to Zoey Caesar standing alone at the opposite free throw line for another turnover.

Penns Grove’s Meely Horace hit two free throws with 26 seconds left to make it 39-36. A scramble for a loose ball at the other end of the floor produced a held ball that went to Penns Grove and Wilson hit two more free throws with 13 seconds left to make it a five-point game.

Ausland made two free throws with one second left, but all they did was create the final margin.

“It was the difference today,” Pennsville coach Sam Trapp said of the end-game situation. “We went over these things yesterday. We talked about how to inbound, about changing, putting the pressure on them so they couldn’t just hold the basketball this time. 

“It is unfortunate that there were some costly mistakes, It’s high-pressure, it’s high-intensity, they’re going to make mistakes. Our biggest thing there was we didn’t foul quick enough to stop the clock enough to get the ball back. It’s a young team, they’re learning these situations, we’re teaching them in practice, and (today) will just help us learn them even better for the future and the playoffs starting next week.”

Penns Grove never trailed in the first half and led by as many as seven before Pennsville rallied. The Eagles took their first lead 22-20 on Ausland’s layup with 4:35 left in the third quarter, but the Red Devils retied it at 25 and it stayed tight the rest of the game.

Wilson (19) and Horace combined for 32 points for Penns Grove. Ausland led Pennsville with 12. 

Penns Grove has won six in a row since February began and seven of its last eight. The Red Devils won seven in a row in January last season.

PENNS GROVE 41, PENNSVILLE 38
PENNS GROVE (13-8) – RaNiyah Wilson 7 2-4 19, Meely Horace 5 2-2 13, Brianna Robbins 1 1-2 3, Zoey Caesar 1 0-0 2, Amani Taylor 1 0-0 2, JaNiyah Cummings 0 0-0 0, Arianna Dowe 1 0-0 2, Syanna Robbins 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 5-8 41.
PENNSVILLE (12-13) – Calli Ausland 0 0-0 0, Nora Ausland 4 3-5 12, Taylor Bass 2 1-2 5, Karsen Cooksey 0 0-0 0, Bella Farina 4 0-1 8, Kylie Harris 0 0-0 0, Izzy Saulin 2 0-0 5, Marley Wood 3 2-4 8. Totals 15 6-12 38.

Penns Grove	14	4	9	14 –	41
Pennsville	7	9	11	11 –	38