Lions Pull Away for 70-57 Win in Girls Hoops

Junior Camille Weber, guard, is in her third season as a varsity player for the Cardinals. She chipped in 6 points Friday.

Archbishop Carroll (13-6, 6-3) survived Bishop Ireton’s best shots in the closing moments of the second and fourth periods to pick up their sixth conference win of the year in a 70-57 contest in Alexandria Friday. Carroll jumped out to a 17-8 advantage after one period, streaking away from a 5-3 early lead with a 12-3 run. But Ireton responded in the second quarter with a 10-4 run of their own to close the gap to 28-24 with 2 minutes to play in the first half. The Lions held a 36-30 advantage at the intermission.

Senior Jasmine Conkright sparked the redbirds early in the game, with energy on the defensive side of the court as well as 6 points on the evening. As is often the case, when Mara Celis warmed up in the second quarter her offense brought life to the Cardinals as they narrowed the margin. The junior guard ended the contest with a team-high 17 points, including the club’s only three-pointer on the evening.

Again, however, the turnover bug bit Ireton again during the ballgame, periods where the Cardinals hit a dry spell. With Carroll shooting well from the field, including five 3-pointers, the home team would see minutes of hard work to close the deficit quickly evaporate when the Lion’s converted turnovers to easy baskets. The third quarter saw the visitors take a six point halftime advantage and blow it up to an 11 point lead in the first 1:03 to open the third quarter. The green and gold headed into the final period with a 61-45 bulge.

Bishop Ireton caught fire again in the final stanza with 10-3 spurt that cut the lead to 9 with more than 5 minutes remaining and down to 64-57 with 2:37 to play. Unfortunately, Carroll would tally the final 6 points of the evening and send Ireton to its 10th WCAC setback and 16th overall. Rima Lghzaoui contributed 8 points for the Cardinals, senior Laura Hart added 7, Julia Weber and Camille Weber each scored 6 for Ireton.

Free throw shooting was a difference in the game as well, Ireton could manage but 16 of 31 from the charity stripe while Archbishop Carroll drained 27 0f 37. That was a big factor, for the home team scored 20 field goals to 19 for Carroll, so even with the added three pointers, the 11 extra points from the free throw line were the critical to the Lion’s win.

The Cardinals (5-16, 1-10) have a tough week ahead as the WCAC’s top two squads are next up. The Cadets of St Johns will visit on Tuesday before Ireton travels to Good Counsel for their final meeting of the regular season in Olney.