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Girls Basketball: Benet hangs on to top Providence
Updated: January 18, 2012 10:03PM
In an intense, hard-fought game in which players constantly dived to the floor to retrieve loose balls, Benet was able to hold off a second-half surge from Providence.
The host Celtics rallied from a seven-point first-half deficit and led briefly in the third quarter after a baseline jumper by Cassidy Glenn, but Benet held on for a 51-47 victory Wednesday night in the East Suburban Catholic Conference.
“I thought the kids gave great effort, the intensity for the entire game was good,’’ Providence coach Eileen Copenhaver said. “It was a back-and-forth game.’’
A three-point play by Alyssa Jurges got Providence to within 48-45 with 2:33 left in the game. Benet (14-4, 5-1) held the ball for almost two minutes before two free throws by Taylor Valentine put the Redwings ahead 50-45 with 39.7 seconds to play.
“Give credit to our kids, they gutted it out,’’ said Benet coach Peter Paul, whose team was without injured three-point sharpshooter Madeline Eilers.
Jurges had a putback to make it 50-47 with four seconds remaining.
“I thought we played about as well as we could have,’’ Copenhaver said. “A couple kids don’t get hurt, it might have been a little different.’’
Anna Novak had nine points and 12 rebounds before she left the game late in the third quarter after getting elbowed in the head. Copenhaver said the 5-foot-10 sophomore will be fine.
Providence (11-10, 2-3) was led by 14 points each from Jurges and Glenn, the latter adding six rebounds and three blocks.
“That was our game from the beginning,’’ Glenn said. “We came out fired up to win it. We knew we could stick with them. We were in the game the whole time. It just didn’t turn out our way.’’
“We asked them to be a little more physical, to check the cutters, block out,’’ Copenhaver said of her team. “Dive on the ball when it gets loose. I think our kids picked up the physical play.’’
Sidney Prasse had 15 points for Benet and Christen Prasse 14.
Benet was ahead 27-24 at halftime led by eight points each from Christen Prasse and Sidney Prasse. The Redwings were a perfect 10-of-10 from the free-throw line in the first quarter in taking a 19-12 lead.
Glenn and Jurges each had nine first-half points for Providence, which made only two of its first six free throws. Novak pulled down eight rebounds in the first half.
The conference schedule doesn’t get easier — next for Providence is a Saturday game at Marist (19-1).
“There’s no easy ones, there’s no easy ones,’’ Copenhaver said. “You’ve just got to keep plugging along.’’
“I can’t wait,’’ Glenn said. “That will be a good one.’’
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