Salem CC women and Mercer deadlocked early in the fourth quarter, then the visiting Vikings pulled away
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT – Maggie St. Clair has a simple wish for her Salem CC women’s basketball team for the holiday and into the new year. All the Mighty Oaks want for Christmas is to play 40 minutes.
They had designs on going into their holiday break .500 for the season. They were playing Mercer County CC even into the fourth quarter, then things suddenly got tough.
The Vikings went on an 18-2 run over a four and a half minute stretch to pull away from a tie game and send Salem to a 65-53 setback in the Mighty Oaks’ final game of the first semester.
“Just play through four quarters,” St. Clair, a sophomore from Eastampton, said responding to the holiday wish question. “We just lose focus in stretches. I thought we played good for three quarters. We were hanging with them, everything was good … I just think our mindset kind of just went down after we got down a couple points.”
Two free throws by St. Clair with 9:04 to play tied the game at 42, but things unraveled in a hurry. Over the next 31 seconds the Mighty Oaks missed a shot and lost the rebound out of bounds and then made two turnovers. The Vikings (9-3) scored six straight points in the exchange and were on their way to taking control.
Akira Chambers made a power move to stop the slide, but then Mercer went on a 12-2 run to make it 60-46 with 4:44 to play.
The Mighty Oaks (4-6) outscored their visitors 7-5 the rest of the game, but by then the damage was done.
It was a tough quarter. After getting the game tied, the Mighty Oaks were 3-of-10 from the field and were charged with nine turnovers. They scored on seven of their last 20 possessions, but didn’t have a field goal after St. Clair’s putback with 2:50 play made it 60-50.
“We’re getting to the point where our program is now playing with these teams and the girls are doing a great job,” Marsh said. “I’m not coaching energy right now, but our execution isn’t there. Too many turnovers that one four-minute stretch.
“It’s the little things. I always say focus for 40 minutes. It’s been 32, now it’s maybe 36, but we’re still missing it.”
St. Clair led the Mighty Oaks with 14 points. Chambers had 10 points and Kathryn Laurence had nine on all three of their 3-pointers. Dani Gustin was their leading rebounder with nine. Caroline Zullo had a full boxscore with seven points, six rebounds and four steals.
Mercer’s Gabriella Ross led all scorers with 21 points. She had 16 in the second half after going 1-for-11 from the field in the first half. Alexandra Garcia Galen had 18, eight in the fourth-quarter eruption that gave the Vikings control of the game.
The Vikings led 30-27 at halftime after going 12 of 14 from the free throw line. They hit their first 11 in a row. The Mighty Oaks had only one free throw in the first half (they missed it).
Despite sitting at 4-6 at the break after starting the season 3-0, the Mighty Oaks still have a lot to play for when they return Jan. 7 against Camden County College. They’ll need to go 9-6 in their remaining games to make the Region XIX tournament.
“Every goal we have is still in front of us, but they have to decide,” Marsh said. “I keep saying what kind of team do you want to be? Do you want to be the ‘but’ team or the ‘what if’ team?
“We’re finally getting to where we’re playing with these teams. Now we’ve got to get to the point where we can beat those teams and we’re just not there yet.”
ACORNS: Marsh is giving his players off until Jan. 3 so they can be home for the holidays … Freshman guard Geovanna Tjaden is scheduled to see an orthopedist Friday to get a better evaluation on the ankle she sprained Saturday against Lackawanna … Mercer is back on the floor this season after a three-year hiatus.
MERCER COUNTY CC (9-3) – Zaakirah Edwards 2-3 0-0 4, Gabriella Ross 7-24 8-10 21, Jayla Jones 1-6 2-2 4, Lia Sakhniashvili 2-11 0-2 4, Alexandra Garcia Galen 6-11 4-4 18, Valerie Rivas 0-1 0-0 0, Jada Queen 3-8 1-2 7, Carla Cencerrero Gallego 2-5 3-4 7. Totals 23-69 16-24 65.
SALEM CC (4-6) – Nyaijah Jackson 2-6 1-2 5, Caroline Zullo 3-8 1-2 7, Maggie St. Clair 6-18 2-2 14, Kathryn Laurence 3-9 0-0 9, Jakayla Jenkins 1-5 2-2 4, RayNescia King 0-1 0-0 0, Dani Gustin 1-1 0-3 2, Akira Chambers 4-6 2-3 10, Alexa Hopkins 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 21-56 8-14 53.
| Mercer | 18 | 12 | 12 | 23- | 65 |
| Salem | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13- | 53 |
3-point goals: Mercer 3-15 (Ross 1-6, Sekhniashvili 0-4, Garcia Galen 2-3, Cencerrero Gallego 0-2); Salem 3-14 (Jackson 0-1, Zullo 0-1, St. Clair 0-6, Laurence 3-6). Rebounds: Mercer 38 (Sekhniashvili 8, Queen 8); Salem 36 (Gustin 9, Jackson 7, Zullo 6). Technical fouls: Chambers. Fouled out: Garcia Gallen, Queen, Jenkins. Total fouls: Mercer 14, Salem 19.
Cover photo: Salem CC sophomore Maggie St. Clair (3) pulls up for a jumper against Mercer County CC Tuesday night. (Photo by John Holt)
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