Friars, Payne reign over McAuley

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Katlyn Payne scored 10 of her game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter and Serafina Nuzzo continued her recent hot play as Fenwick pulled away to a 63-49 victory over Mother McAuley in the Class 4A Mother McAuley sectional semifinal Monday night.

The Friars (28-5) led 43-36 at the start of the fourth quarter when Tricia Liston and Nuzzo sank three-pointers. Payne followed with six points to finish a 12-1 run that made it 55-37.

“That [gave] us momentum,” Payne said. “We knew we had to get a couple of threes to push that lead up a little so we could just sail through the fourth quarter.”

Liston returned after missing two games with a bulging disc in her back. She didn’t start, but entered three minutes into the contest and finished with 16 points, six rebounds and two blocks before fouling out with 2:17 remaining in the fourth quarter.

“[The back] hurts a little bit but not nearly as much as the last game I played in,” Liston said. “Last game it was really unbearable. I didn’t feel it as much tonight.”

Liston is pleased that her teammates rose to the challenge without her, saying the team now has more weapons thanks to Nuzzo. Nuzzo made 5-of-6 from the floor, including two threes, and finished with 12 points and five rebounds.

“Me and Serafina really had to take on more responsibility,” Payne said. “Serafina really proved that she can take on the responsibility and she’s become a really great player.”

Even so, Liston does make a difference. Mother McAuley (22-9) led 8-3 when Liston checked in. The Mighty Macs took their last lead, 16-14, a three-pointer by Mary Stasaitis early in the second quarter before Liston tied it with a jumper and Nuzzo sank a trey. Fenwick led 29-23 at halftime and McAuley got no closer than four after that.

Sarah Garcia led the Mighty Macs with 12 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Sophie Newson had 10 points and nine rebounds and Mary Stasaitis added nine points.