ireton-celebration
Ireton players, fans, and coaches celebrate after their 53-50 victory over O'Connell. Photo courtesy of SR Action Photography.

WCAC Girls Quarters: Bishop Ireton 53, O’Connell 50

Bishop Ireton got 16 points and 19 rebounds from junior center Akunna Konkwo, as well as timely three-point shooting from its guards, to rally past O’Connell 53-50 in a WCAC quarterfinal Saturday at DeMatha.

Down 10 points early in the third quarter, the Cardinals started to rally with some good defense and Konkwo’s efforts on offense. The Cardinals held O’Connell to four third quarter points to cut the Knights’ lead to four. Then junior guard Sydney Peters hit a long three to open the fourth quarter, and hit another one a few minutes later to cut the O’Connell lead to 38-37. After a stop, freshman guard Laila Jewett found junior Symantha Shackelford open for another trey. That gave the Cards their first lead since early in the second quarter, 40-38.

After Ireton expanded its lead the Knights fought back and only trailed by one with 2:30 left after sophomore guard Maikya Simmons hit a lay-up. But Ireton answered back with five straight points capped off by junior forward Sydney Kennard’s old-fashioned three-point play at the rim. O’Connell never quit, but couldn’t overcome that deficit.

“I think in the first half the moment kind of got to us,” said Ireton coach Jason Harris. “We came out a little more aggressive in the second half and it paid off.”

O’Connell was led by a fantastic effort from senior guard Brie Perpignan, who tallied 26 points, seven rebounds and five steals. The Knights will continue their season in the Virginia Independent Schools Tournament next week.

Bishop Ireton advances to play top-seeded St. John’s in the semi-finals of the WCAC Tournament.

–Chris Jollay

all stats are unofficial

BISHOP IRETON FG FT TP REB AST
JEWETT 1-4 7-9 10 2 4
SHACKELFORD 3-11 2-2 11 4 2
PETERS 3-10 0-2 9 1 2
KENNARD 1-2 3-5 5 5 0
KONKWO 4-8 8-11 16 19 2
Irondi 0-1 0-0 0 1 0
Napper 1-1 0-0 2 0 0
Franklin 0-2 0-0 0 0 0
TOTALS 13-39 20-29 53 32 10
Threes: Shackelford 3-6, Peters 3-9, Jewett 1-2, Franklin 0-2
O’CONNELL FG FT TP REB AST
PERPIGNAN 8-17 9-15 26 7 2
SIMMONS 3-10 0-2 7 5 2
LEVERONE 0-4 0-0 0 3 0
MILLS 1-6 3-6 5 2 3
HOVIS 6-9 0-0 12 5 0
Woods 0-1 0-0 0 0 1
Knauf 0-0 0-0 0 1 0
Lee 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Reynolds 0-1 0-0 0 0 0
TOTALS 18-48 12-23 50 23 8
Threes: Simmons 1-2, Perpignan 1-4, Leverone 0-2, Woods 0-1

 

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