TOMS RIVER – Seven hundred twenty-nine days. That’s how lengthy St. John Vianney needed to wait to formally defend its Shore Convention Event title.
Two years to the day after beating Manchester Township within the 2020 closing, the Lancers weren’t going to attend all that point simply to let Sunday’s title sport slip away in one of many greatest upsets in event historical past.
Regardless of dealing with its fiercest New Jersey competitors of the 12 months, St. John Vianney did what it did finest. The No. 1 Lancers overwhelmed their opponent with defensive strain and prolific scoring as they rallied previous No. 3 Manasquan 62-46 within the SCT closing.
The title is a Shore file fifteenth convention crown for the Lancers (26-1) and their second in a row after profitable in 2020. The Lancers had been additionally the unofficial Shore Convention champions throughout final 12 months’s shortened season.
Senior Madison St. Rose earned event MVP honors, scoring a game-high 21 factors within the closing.
Greatest newcomers: Top 20 Shore Conference freshmen
“This sense is wonderful, particularly for us seniors,” St. Rose stated. “For our final 12 months enjoying as Woman Lancer basketball gamers and to win the SCT championship, it’s an incredible feeling. We couldn’t be prouder.”
Unchartered territory
Manasquan (24-4) performed the Lancers more durable than another New Jersey workforce has performed them this 12 months – and even final 12 months – by means of the primary quarter. Among the finest defensive groups within the state, Manasquan jumped out to a 19-13 lead and the mix of seniors Mary Donnelly and Georgia Heine held St. Rose to only six first half factors and one discipline purpose.
St. John Vianney held a 25-23 halftime lead, but it surely was uncharted territory. The Lancers have routinely crushed groups by 30 or extra factors this 12 months and sometimes have a large lead by halftime. They weren’t creating havoc and enjoying as aggressively as they wished to.
“I really feel like we weren’t glad with how we had been play,” St. Rose stated. “We had been identical to, ‘the third quarter goes to be ours.’ The primary jiffy is what’s extra necessary.”
The third quarter was classic St. John Vianney. The Lancers’ protection persistently brought on turnovers and St. Rose erupted, scoring 10 factors within the quarter because the Lancers led 46-33 by the top of the third.
“Maddie trusts her teammates, they had been double and triple teaming her, so she was making the precise basketball performs,” St. John Vianney head coach Daybreak Karpell stated. “She relaxed and let the sport come to her. By the second half, we had been capable of free her up, work out what they had been scheming and discover pictures for her. She delivered.”
St. Rose’s fixed even-keel demeanor on the court docket was a microcosm for St. John Vianney’s second half domination. The Lancers by no means panic. They simply calmly wore Manasquan down.
“I really feel no strain after I play,” St. Rose stated. “If I’m not open, I’m going to attempt to make pictures for my workforce. I’m nonetheless going to play protection, I’m nonetheless going to attempt to make an affect on the sport to assist our workforce win.”
And when St. Rose couldn’t discover the basket, junior Zoe Brooks did. She scored 18 factors and she or he persistently scored even whereas the Lancers struggled early.
“I at all times suppose to attain and get my teammates concerned,” Brooks stated. “Whether or not Maddie rating greater than me or not, I’ll at all times attempt to get my teammates concerned and do what I’ve to do to win.”
Blessing in disguise
St. John Vianney’s 73-58 loss to Washington DC powerhouse Sidwell Buddies final week ended its 51-game profitable streak that dated again to 2020, however the streak-busting loss might need been a blessing in disguise.
Sidwell Buddies was the Lancers’ stiffest competitors in two years. It was the right primer for a workforce that wasn’t used to clawing out victories however one which wanted to Sunday.
“Manasquan is a stable defensive workforce, that they had a superb scout and clearly Sidwell was an amazing defensive workforce,” Karpell stated. “For us to make changes at halftime and execute to these changes was incredible.”
SCT FINALS HISTORY
2022: St. John Vianney 62, Manasquan 46
2021: Event canceled because of COVID-19
2020: St. John Vianney 57, Manchester Township 50
2019: Manchester Township 58, St. John Vianney 42
2018: Manasquan 70, St. John Vianney 52
2017: St. Rose 56, St. John Vianney 31
2016: St. John Vianney 59, Manasquan 48
2015: Manasquan 69, St. Rose 60
2014: Manasquan 61, St. Rose 41
2013: Purple Financial institution Catholic 50, Level Boro 46
2012: St. Rose 65, Manasquan 56
2011: Neptune 57, St. John Vianney 48
2010: Neptune 60, Colts Neck 50
2009: Neptune 56, St. John Vianney 54
2008: Colts Neck 66, Purple Financial institution Catholic 53
2007: Purple Financial institution Catholic 34, Rumson-Truthful Haven 31
2006: Purple Financial institution Catholic 41, Rumson-Truthful Haven 31
2005: St. John Vianney 47, Monmouth 30
2004: St. John Vianney 56, Toms River North 47
2003: Purple Financial institution Catholic 48, Marlboro 46
2002: St. John Vianney 39, Marlboro 36
2001: Purple Financial institution Catholic 44, St. John Vianney 39
2000: Purple Financial institution Catholic 62, St. John Vianney 56
1999: St. John Vianney 56, Purple Financial institution Catholic 52
1998: St. John Vianney 45, Purple Financial institution Regional 34
1997: St. John Vianney 59, Purple Financial institution Catholic 45
1996: St. John Vianney 53, Purple Financial institution Catholic 47
1995: St. John Vianney 61, Purple Financial institution Catholic 55
1994: St. John Vianney 86, Purple Financial institution Regional 46
1993: St. Rose 67, St. John Vianney 57
1992: St. John Vianney 54, St. Rose 50
1991: St. John Vianney 58, Keyport 47
1990: St. John Vianney 59, Toms River East 48
1989: Neptune 79, St. John Vianney 49
1988: Neptune 70, Raritan 48
1987: Neptune 61, Manasquan 46
1986: St. Rose 55, Freehold Township 52
1985: Middletown South 50, Neptune 48
1984: Southern 42, Neptune 40
1983: Manasquan 43, Lakewood 36
1982: Neptune 59, Rumson-Truthful Haven 46
1981: Manasquan 45, Middletown North 35
1980: Freehold Township 70, Brick Township 47
1979: Middletown South 46, Asbury Park 43
1978: Shore 48, Asbury Park 45
1977: Asbury Park 56, Shore 33
1976: Asbury Park 83, Lakewood 56
1975: Asbury Park 51, Toms River South 27
1974: Asbury Park 45, Lengthy Department 37 (OT)
1973: Shore 43, Brick Township 41
1972: Brick Township 37, Level Boro 27
Danny LoGiudice has coated native sports activities throughout New Jersey since 2014. Contact him at [email protected] or @danny_logiudice on Twitter.
Source: Asbury Park
