Jacobs falls in title game
MACHESNEY PARK - Jacobs stayed true to form, following a solid third quarter with a shaky fourth quarter, as Boylan downed the Golden Eagles, 52-42, in the championship game of the Harlem Holiday Classic girls basketball tournament Saturday.
The Eagles tied the game at 37 on a 3-pointer by Hailey Cnota with 4:48 to play and trailed just 40-39 moments later. But the Titans closed the game on a 12-3 run to claim the tournament title.
Maria Tamburrino led Jacobs with 14 points. Cnota added 12 points and 5 rebounds.
Jacobs (10-3) advanced to the final by beating Hampshire, 66-49, earlier in the day. Less than 2 hours later, the Eagles took the court against Boylan (11-1). They fell behind 29-17 at halftime, but they refused to use tired legs as an excuse.
"I think it affected us in the first half," said Jacobs coach Ed Haugens. "We caught a second wind in the second half of the game, and we had our opportunities to win. To be able to play like that, there's no excuse. We just made a lot of mistakes that we shouldn't be making."
A 17-2 run fueled by Brea Edwards (20 points) put Boylan in control in the second quarter. However, the Eagles turned the tables in the third, opening the half with a 12-3 spurt to get within 3. Three-pointers by Sam Vojtsek began and ended that run.
"The third quarter, which is normally our best quarter, was, but the fourth quarter really killed us," said Cnota. "It always falls about in the fourth quarter, and that's what we're trying to figure out. What are we doing, what's going on?"
Cnota's putback made it 40-39, but that was about it for the Golden Eagles. Several costly turnovers derailed Jacobs' offense, and the Titans made 7 of 8 free throws to pull away. A steal and driving layup by Edwards made it 49-39 with less than a minute left.
Tamburrino's 3-pointer made it 49-42, but Deborah Hilby (11 points) got loose on a breakaway and completed a 3-point play for the final margin.
Vojtsek finished with 6 points, and Katy Cook had 7 rebounds and 6 points for Jacobs.