Bishop Ireton doesn’t have a lot of losses, but the Cardinals do have two in the last ten days. Their last game they fell to Westtown (PA) by double digits, and that apparently didn’t sit well with Kesha Walton’s team.
“We watched film,” said senior guard Theresa Hagans. “We knew we had to bounce back from our last one.”
Ireton bounced back hard against rival Paul VI Tuesday night. The Cardinals shot over 70% in the first half en route to a 48-20 halftime lead against the Panthers, ultimately getting the WCAC home victory, 79-51.
“We just kind of picked up the pace, everybody was moving together, we were playing like a team,” said Hagans of her team’s torrid first half.
Hagans was a big part of the onslaught in the first half, when the Cardinals only missed one shot from within the arc and were 5-11 from three-point range. The Pittsburgh commit buried three three-pointers before halftime, dished out four assists, and repeatedly registered steals with both her on-ball and help defense.
“Defense is my number one offense,” Hagans said.
The onslaught seemed to leave the Panthers shell-shocked for a lot of the first half. They composed themselves at halftime and played Ireton even in the second half, doing a better job on the boards and limiting turnovers. By then the outcome had been long sealed, however, as Ireton won its eighteenth straight game at home.
While Paul VI’s play in the second half is indication a rematch in the WCAC or VISAA Tournament might be a much-closer game, the Cardinals (5-1, 15-3) definitely sent a message in the victory. Last March Ireton broke Paul VI’s amazing streak of 16 straight VISAA state titles–with the win the Cardinals left no doubt that they are the favorites to repeat.
Pretty much everyone who played had a good night for the Cardinals. Senior and UNC commit Nyla Brooks was her usual dominant self, running the floor and burying picture-perfect mid-range jumpers. She finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists. Hagans added 15, while center Jaylen Manning pitched in 13. Amirah Anderson had nine points and five assists, while sophomore Geormae Davis (nine points) didn’t miss a field goal off the bench.
Paul VI senior Riley Hamburger stepped up her game in the second half, scoring 11 of her team-high 16 after intermission. Junior Lee Williams added 10 for the Panthers (4-2, 13-5).
–Chris Jollay
all statistics are unofficial
| IRETON | FG | FT | TP | REB | AST | |
| FERGUSON | 1-3 | 2-4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | |
| HAGANS | 6-9 | 0-0 | 15 | 2 | 5 | |
| ANDERSON | 4-8 | 0-0 | 9 | 4 | 5 | |
| WASHINGTON | 2-3 | 2-2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | |
| MANNING | 5-6 | 2-2 | 13 | 1 | 0 | |
| Brooks | 7-13 | 2-3 | 17 | 11 | 4 | |
| Wilson | 1-1 | 0-0 | 3 | 4 | 4 | |
| Davis | 4-4 | 1-2 | 9 | 3 | 0 | |
| Willis | 1-3 | 1-2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | |
| Loving | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| TOTALS | 31-52 | 10-15 | 79 | 29 | 19 | |
| Threes: Hagans 3-4, Manning 1-1, Wilson 1-1, Brooks 1-3, Anderson 1-4, Ferguson 0-1 | ||||||
| PAUL VI | FG | FT | TP | REB | AST | |
| T.WILLIAMS | 4-13 | 1-1 | 9 | 3 | 2 | |
| L.WILLIAMS | 3-9 | 3-5 | 10 | 4 | 0 | |
| GILLIAM | 1-4 | 2-2 | 4 | 6 | 2 | |
| HAMBURGER | 5-13 | 4-6 | 16 | 1 | 2 | |
| RAMEY | 2-8 | 0-3 | 5 | 6 | 1 | |
| Miller | 0-2 | 1-2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| Rachmat-Jones | 0-3 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Janapati | 1-1 | 0-0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Abraham | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Marculis | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Marsh | 1-1 | 2-2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | |
| TOTALS | 17-55 | 13-21 | 51 | 28 | 9 | |
| Threes: Hamburger 2-6, L.Williams 1-4, Ramey 1-4, Miller 0-1, Rachmat-Jones 0-2, T.Williams 0-4 | ||||||