Contest goes to overtime
Lady Knights vanquish Jaguars, 19-15
It wasn't a pretty win, but the Cambridge girls varsity basketball team and their large cheering section was elated by their 19-15 win over a tenacious Jaguar team that had forced the game into overtime with a last-minute free throw.
For Cambridge, which finished the season with a 4-2 record, the following rule of thumb applied: If one of their key players -- Raquel Lopez, Mariana Escaño or Maira Lino, was having a hot afternoon (and you never knew which one it would be), they won. When everyone was cold, they lost.
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SHEER JOY -- Lady Knights take a victory lap with their coach, Victor Coronado.-- Jonatan Muñoz, International
Tuesday in the championship game at Gilberto Parejas Coliseo, none of the Lady Knights could be said to have a hot hand, and they scored only four field goals in the game, but they won anyway, mainly on the strength of their famously fierce defense and some good foul shooting by senior captain Raquel Lopez.
The Cambridge defense held the Jaguar girls, who had been 1-5 during the regular season and were bidding to be the Cinderella team of the playoffs, to just four field goals as well.
The result was a 13-13 stalemate at the end of regulation time.
The overtime period ended up being almost a pure foul-shooting contest, and Cambridge won. The Knights made four of their ten chances (and got a field goal from Escaño). The Jaguars made just two of their six free throw opportunities.
The key figure for Cambridge was Lopez. A tall attractive girl with a sweet smile and unassuming manner, she is almost a cult figure at the school. Several students brought posters on which they had painted her likeness. She has shown herself capable of scoring baskets by sheer will power, but Tuesday she was having a hideous day.
The footwork was there . . . .
As is sometimes said of boxers having an off-day, the footwork was there, but the timing was off. She was bouncing lay-ups off the bottom of the backboard, and hitting the side of the backboard when trying set shots from the corner. She made only two field goals -- way below her average -- and they were in the early stages of the game.
Lady Knights vanquish Jaguars, 19-15
It wasn't a pretty win, but the Cambridge girls varsity basketball team and their large cheering section was elated by their 19-15 win over a tenacious Jaguar team that had forced the game into overtime with a last-minute free throw.
For Cambridge, which finished the season with a 4-2 record, the following rule of thumb applied: If one of their key players -- Raquel Lopez, Mariana Escaño or Maira Lino, was having a hot afternoon (and you never knew which one it would be), they won. When everyone was cold, they lost.
___________
SHEER JOY -- Lady Knights take a victory lap with their coach, Victor Coronado.-- Jonatan Muñoz, International
Tuesday in the championship game at Gilberto Parejas Coliseo, none of the Lady Knights could be said to have a hot hand, and they scored only four field goals in the game, but they won anyway, mainly on the strength of their famously fierce defense and some good foul shooting by senior captain Raquel Lopez.
The Cambridge defense held the Jaguar girls, who had been 1-5 during the regular season and were bidding to be the Cinderella team of the playoffs, to just four field goals as well.
The result was a 13-13 stalemate at the end of regulation time.
The overtime period ended up being almost a pure foul-shooting contest, and Cambridge won. The Knights made four of their ten chances (and got a field goal from Escaño). The Jaguars made just two of their six free throw opportunities.
The key figure for Cambridge was Lopez. A tall attractive girl with a sweet smile and unassuming manner, she is almost a cult figure at the school. Several students brought posters on which they had painted her likeness. She has shown herself capable of scoring baskets by sheer will power, but Tuesday she was having a hideous day.
The footwork was there . . . .
As is sometimes said of boxers having an off-day, the footwork was there, but the timing was off. She was bouncing lay-ups off the bottom of the backboard, and hitting the side of the backboard when trying set shots from the corner. She made only two field goals -- way below her average -- and they were in the early stages of the game.
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STRENGTH V. STRENGTH -- Knight Raquel Lopez (7) drives against Jaguar star Cecelia Aponte (6). Jonatan Muñoz, International
It didn't help that Cooperative was watching for her everytime she came down the floor. often double-covering her, but she could still get her shots off. They just wouldn't go in.
But she still could get fouled, and unlike her miscalibrated shots from the floor, her foul shooting, which involves wrapping her arms around the ball in a sort of modern dance movement, was working. She put in six free throws, giving her a total for the game of ten points.
After the game her teammates and Cambridge fans carried her around the court on their shoulders.
Maira Lino added four to the Cambridge total, Mariana Escaño 3, and Karen Aliaga two. Escaño's points all came in overtime.
Aponte having an off day too
Cambridge benefited from the fact that Cooperative's best shooter, Cecelia Aponte, was not having that great a day herself. Like Lopez, she had two first half field goals, but then scored only one more point in the remainder of the game, for a total of five.
Ana Paula Peredo also had five points for the Lady Jaguars, Hailey White had two, while Carolina Crespo, Nathaly Noguer, and Sofia Sotelo had one point each.
Cambridge benefited from the fact that Cooperative's best shooter, Cecelia Aponte, was not having that great a day herself. Like Lopez, she had two first half field goals, but then scored only one more point in the remainder of the game, for a total of five.
Ana Paula Peredo also had five points for the Lady Jaguars, Hailey White had two, while Carolina Crespo, Nathaly Noguer, and Sofia Sotelo had one point each.
