Girls Basketball: Raiders Win a Tough One Against Elizabeth 35-28

Joe Kaplan, Sports Editor

Parents and referees are seen pointing their flashlights towards the basketball floor, as all eyes are glued to the floor right under the SPF basket. 

 

What are they looking for? Well, they’re looking for an eye contact that belongs to the sophomore sensation Amanda Baylock. Many believed it to be a hard foul that knocked Baylock to the ground and forced her contact out. However, no foul was called, which led to an Elizabeth bucket. 

 

SPF started out strong as they were able to make shots, get to the foul line and force tough shots on Elizabeth. However, when the fourth quarter arrived SPF wasn’t able to get much going offensively; Elizabeth kept them scoreless. 

 

At the 3:40 mark of the fourth quarter, Elizabeth climbed back and make it a 2-point game, 26-24, and while Baylock wasn’t able to contribute much in the fourth, the team looked to senior Emily Friscia and junior Allie Murphy down the stretch to help seal the deal. 

 

“Last game, Allie Murphy didn’t have her best day,” Coach Ryan McKenna said. “And she came back today. She missed some shots but then she came back when it counted, and she was a great rebounder and was able to put the ball back in.”

 

Both Friscia and Murphy put up 10 points each, with Baylock contributing seven. 

 

Friscia knocked down a huge three-pointer with a minute left on the clock that would help push the Raiders ahead. And with Allie Murphy getting into the paint and adding to the score, SPF was able to escape and secure the victory.

 

“Our performance was very gritty,” McKenna said. “They were down in the fourth quarter, the first time in the season we were down in the fourth quarter and came back to win, so that was really exciting.”

 

This win brought the Raiders record to 6-3, as they hope to take care of business against Kent Place in a home and home this weekend. 

 

“We have to put up the same defensive intensity that we had,” McKenna said. “We have to keep them off-balance, making strides in our offense, and getting back to where we’d been.”